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Thierry Henry heaped praise on U.S. men's national team's rising star Cavan Sullivan, highlighting the very same quality that had won over the teenager in the eyes of Mauricio Pochettino.
Sullivan had an international break to remember. The Philadelphia Union attacker made his senior debut, celebrated his 17th birthday, and etched his name in program history as its youngest-ever goalscorer this fall. Pochettino rarely singles out individuals, but made an exception to commend the determination, rather than the flair, Sullivan had shown. Henry was equally taken by the youngster.
"You know what I like, is his demeanor, his attitude," Henry enthused on CBS Golazo this week. "Swagger," was another quality offered by host Kate Abdo, which the former Arsenal and Barcelona striker readily agreed with.
"He plays, he goes about it, he will put his foot in," Henry continued. "He also has an eye for a pass or for a goal. But he will not back down for anyone, although he's young."
Sullivan's profile continues to soar. Each outing appears to bring a fresh milestone for the red-hot teenager, who has had a direct hand in at least one goal across each of his last seven club appearances. Still, Henry believes there is more to come: "I think he can do even more."
'You Have to Give Pochettino Credit'
To be the future you must rewrite history. pic.twitter.com/MID0hojIEy
Henry also turned his attention to the manager who handed Sullivan and a wave of other young players their call-ups. "You have to give a lot of credit to Pochettino: He allowed those guys to come," the retired France international noted.
Sullivan was among eight teenagers handed their debut across four fall friendlies, with six of that group plying their trade in Major League Soccer. Unlike certain previous USMNT coaches who tended to favor players with European experience over domestic action, Pochettino has fully embraced home-grown talent.
"It will be good for MLS, because I think some of the guys coming from MLS were not looked at so much, sometimes before," Henry noted. "And now that's not the case.
"Sometimes, I feel that I believe more—more, more, much more—in the talent of the players here in the USA than people that talk in the [U.S.] media," Pochettino stated earlier this month. "Because I think it's so important to translate that you really trust. And then because we [have] expertise, that is why we are here, don't worry that we are going to make the best decision.
"It's so important that the people really trust in the process, trust in our decisions, but trust in the players and respect the players."
Pochettino has earned Henry's admiration, though the latter remains cautiously optimistic. "It looks like it can be a bright future," the Premier League legend concluded, "but it remains to be seen if it can carry on."