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TIM HOWARD: Mauricio Pochettino is perfect for the USA job and it's foolish to suggest otherwise... but be warned: the last foreign coach was a disaster
Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to take one of the top five jobs in international soccer. That is what it means to become the new manager of the United States Men's National Team in 2024.
Where else would he rather be? Brazil, Argentina and England, perhaps. They are the big three.
Then there are giants such as Spain, France, Germany and Italy but recent history tells us that those nations don't appoint foreign coaches. So what could be more enticing than the USMNT?
Look at the infrastructure and the finances on offer. Above all, though, this is about opportunity. Pochettino has the chance to lead the United States into a home World Cup in 2026.
It will be the biggest event in the sport's history and that is why US Soccer had to get this appointment right. They could not afford to end up with option C or D.
Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to become the new manager of the US Men's National Team
DailyMail.com columnist Tim Howard
They had flex their muscles, dig deep into their pockets and go for the biggest names out there. They had to find someone with gravitas, someone who gives the USMNT the best chance of avoiding a repeat of this summer's Copa America catastrophe.
That meant hiring Jurgen Klopp or Gareth Southgate or Pochettino. Job done. It's a huge statement and I am delighted.
No doubt some fans will find holes in his resume because Pochettino hasn't won trophies everywhere he has gone. That is foolish.
No doubt some fans would rather an American was in charge. That is more understandable but sadly very few US managers have enjoyed success on the world stage. They are fighting the same battle that us players fought for so long - and, quite frankly, still fight. A stigma against Americans.
So it is simple: the US has to have the best manager for the job. As a country we are a melting pot of colors and cultures. As a team we have players from all international backgrounds. That's who we are. And that's what makes us amazing.
Pochettino is the first foreigner to coach the USMNT since Jurgen Klinsmann was appointed in 2011.
I was there before, during and after his reign. I spent 15 years on the national team and I don't remember a time when there was a bigger disconnect between the players and the manager than under Jurgen.
Pochettino is the first foreigner to coach the USMNT since Jurgen Klinsmann arrived in 2011
Gregg Berhalter was fired by the USMNT following disappointing results at Copa America
He organized a lot of team excursions. He specialized in fluff and philosophical rhetoric. But there was zero soccer.
We went to Versailles, we went to the 9/11 memorial, we went on boating trips. He made us come into lunch and sing the national anthem. He dictated when we slept and when we woke up. He decided what we wore.
He replaced sugary snacks and enforced tighter curfews. He tried to change our breathing, he sent us on 'empty stomach runs' at dawn. He hired people and literally made up staffing positions for them.
Jurgen tried to reinvent the wheel but he didn't teach us a lot of soccer. So we had to on rely on the likes Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Jozy Altidore to bring the team together and win games - in spite of the manager.
The lesson for Pochettino to learn from Klinsmann? Understand the American player. Don't make it about yourself. Every culture has different nuances - wherever you coach around the world. So, yes, players have to be pushed out of their comfort zone, but you have to learn what makes people tick.
The former Paris Saint-Germain manager has worked with superstars including Kylian Mbappe
Just because you understand the game doesn't mean you're a good coach. You have to be able to to translate your message to the players. Thankfully, Pochettino has shown himself to have humility. He has this ability to instill his style and give players the platform to express themselves.
He will inherit a young, hungry USMNT built on solid foundations. Gregg Berhalter did a great job of shifting the mentality and building a culture of expansive soccer. But he never earned that signature win.
Fortunately, those same players will now reap the rewards of working with Pochettino. When a manager of his pedigree asks you to do something, players respond. Why? Because he's had success. Because he's coached the likes of Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe. So players know: there's a reason behind it. He has had bigger, better players than me do it.
I remember going through a rough patch at Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson told me about how Fabien Barthez and Peter Schmeichel struggled, too.
Matt Crocker, the sporting director of US Soccer, led the search for Berhalter's successor
There are other coaches who will try the same tactic and you think: 'Yeah, okay, whatever.' But when a manager of that stature - who's worked with players of that stature - can draw parallels, it gives you confidence.
The challenge Pochettino will face is adjusting his methods to international soccer, when his time with his players is very limited. But that's a problem you overcome by setting standards early - and often.
That means his players will need to take on a lot of information very quickly. More meetings, more time on the practice field. That means travelling to meet with players and sporting directors outside of camp.
Pochettino doesn't have much time before the World Cup arrives. The last time the UMSNT looked abroad for a manager, they spent a lot of cash and didn't get their money's worth. That won't happen this time.