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The U.S. men's national team is gearing up for the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals later this week, though that seems to be the least pressing issue surrounding the squad right now.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino is increasingly being connected to a potential move to Manchester United, with reports suggesting he has emerged as a leading candidate to take over from current manager Michael Carrick, who is reportedly on the verge of being dismissed by the Premier League club before league play resumes.
Pochettino arrived at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer national training center on Monday for the 10-day November international camp amid swirling uncertainty about his future. The 54-year-old has become central to U.S. Soccer's long-term vision, having signed a four-year deal back in August that not only keeps him in charge of the USMNT through the 2030 World Cup, but also involves him in every aspect of the federation's youth development pipeline. All of that now hangs in the balance.
Despite Pochettino passionately voicing his commitment to unlocking the "tremendous potential" of the USMNT—winning over American supporters this summer during the home World Cup—he has also openly expressed a desire to eventually return to club football. Having previously managed Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur, the allure of that high-pressure, high-stakes club environment remains strong.
"The Premier League is the best in the world," he said last December. "Of course I miss it. I am so happy in the U.S., but I am always thinking about returning one day. It is the most competitive league, and of course I would love to come back again."
The prospect of managing one of Europe's most storied clubs may simply be too enticing to turn down, and his USMNT contract reportedly contains a buyout clause—albeit a costly one—that could facilitate such a departure. His players, meanwhile, are either choosing not to entertain the speculation or doing their best to block out the noise and stay locked in on the upcoming fixtures—the Americans' first competitive games since the 2026 World Cup.
'Until Told Otherwise'—USMNT Players Zero in on Concacaf Play
The USMNT will face Haiti in a two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal tie. The opening match is scheduled for Saturday, with the second leg on Nov. 17. The side that advances on aggregate will not only move on to the Nations League finals in March, but also earn an automatic spot in the 2027 Gold Cup.
It is a matchup that has the team's undivided attention, according to experienced veteran Antonee Robinson.
"I mean that news kind of gets thrown all over the rest of the world I'd say," the 29-year-old fullback told reporters Tuesday. "Similar things happened in the past, I think with the World Cup where huge teams lose their manager and then they start looking at possible candidates. For us to have a manager who's linked with those sorts of jobs means we're very lucky.
"We know that we're working with a top-class manager, but that never seems to leak into the work we do, whether it was the World Cup or whether it's going to be this camp."
The Fulham standout even offered insight into his manager's current mindset, adding: "All that sort of outside noise has nothing to do with [Pochettino]. He's very much focused on getting the best out of the team, getting these two wins in Nations League and we'll be on the same page as well."
Robinson has a lengthy history with the USMNT and has witnessed multiple managerial changes throughout his time with the squad. Since making his senior debut in May 2018, the team has been led by six different figures: interim Dave Sarachan (2017–18), Gregg Berhalter (2018–22, 2023–24), interim Anthony Hudson (2023), interim B.J. Callaghan (2023), interim Mikey Varas (2024), and now Pochettino. He is no stranger to the coaching merry-go-round and knows how to handle it.
"For me personally, I don't really look at him being linked with jobs as, 'Oh, this could be the last time he's in front of me,'" Robinson stated. "It's just focusing on we've got a game at the weekend, and I'm going to do everything I can to be ready to play for him and how he wants us to play until told otherwise.
"It's just working with what we've got until things change. And I don't really think it affects many of us, to be honest."