For the last training camp announcement of this year — and 6 ½ months before he selects his World Cup squad — U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino on Thursday was full of surprises.
There were unexpected selections to the 25-man roster for a nine-day camp and two friendlies, most notably Gio Reyna, whose club career in Europe has failed to gain traction.
There were also many significant omissions, most because of injury or fitness issues but because of a coaching change at a player’s club, as well. Christian Pulisic, Chris Richards, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, among others, are on that long list.
Pochettino prefers talking about players who were named to the roster, which will begin workouts in greater Philadelphia on Monday and prepare for Paraguay on Nov. 15 in Chester, Pennsylvania, and Uruguay on Nov. 18 in Tampa. But during his conference call with reporters, there was no escaping the absences.
No situations are exactly alike. Pulisic, the U.S. team’s most important player, has been sidelined with AC Milan since straining a hamstring against Australia last month. Even if he plays for Milan this weekend, he would not be at full strength for a U.S. camp.
Hence, Pochettino said he decided it was in Pulisic’s best interests to remain in Italy during the international window “to provide him the possibility to recover 100 percent and be ready to play [for Milan]. That is common sense.”
Last month Pochettino faced criticism for playing Pulisic against Australia after he had played sparingly four days earlier against Ecuador because of an ankle ailment.
Likewise, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner expressed disappointment that Richards had played every minute in the U.S. friendlies, despite an ankle issue. Even though Richards continues to start for the Premier League club, Pochettino said Thursday that he did not want to risk overburdening his top center back.
Milan and Crystal Palace are “not right to complain, because we are the first that care and we never [make] a player [play] with some doubt — never, never,” said Pochettino, a first-time national team coach whose managerial career has included Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
He added he was “very disappointed” with the criticism because “I am very respectful with all the coaches, with all the clubs and with all, of course, the players and the fans.”
McKennie is not hurt, but because his Serie A club, Juventus, recently changed managers, Pochettino said the priority is to allow the veteran midfielder to work on securing his place in Italy.
“It’s important for Weston to be there and try to convince the coach to keep playing,” Pochettino said. “It’s more important … because we already know what he can provide the [U.S.] team.”
Weah, left back Antonee Robinson and winger Alex Zendejas were not called in because of injuries, while central midfielders Malik Tillman and Johnny Cardoso were left out because they just returned from ailments. Midfielder Yunus Musah is healthy, but his lack of playing time for Italian club Atalanta has impacted his U.S. status.
Reyna, 22, is not playing much for his club either and hasn’t been invited to U.S. camp since March. Nonetheless, Pochettino is giving him another shot.
“We already know the potential of Gio and the talent,” the coach said. “He has enormous talent. It’s true he is not playing too much, but I think it’s a good opportunity in November, because until March, we are not going to be together again and not [have the] possibility to see him again.”
After falling out of favor at Borussia Dortmund, Reyna has made just five appearances (one start) for his new Bundesliga club, Mönchengladbach.
Once a rising star in U.S. circles, he was at the center of a post-World Cup soap opera with then-coach Gregg Berhalter almost three winters ago and had since seen his national team fortunes continue to dip as he confronted headwinds in his club career.
Pochettino has long preached the importance of playing regularly at the club level. Asked if calling up lightly active players such as Reyna sends a contradictory message, Pochettino said, “No, no, no, no. … The most important [thing] is if they play every single game — it should be amazing for us. But we need to understand that sometimes some players struggle to play [for their club] but can be important for us.”
Others back in the mix include goalkeepers Roman Celentano and Jonathan Klinsmann; defenders Joe Scally, John Tolkin and Auston Trusty; midfielders Sebastian Berhalter and Sean Zawadzki; and forward Ricardo Pepi, who is in a good scoring form for PSV Eindhoven, even though he usually comes off the bench. He is in camp for the first time in a year.
So is Trusty, a center back who is receiving more playing time at Scottish club Celtic after fellow American Cameron Carter-Vickers suffered an Achilles’ tendon injury last month.
Like Reyna, club teammate Scally will return from an eight-month absence and will provide options at right back.
Sergiño Dest, Pochettino’s top choice at right back, and midfielder Tyler Adams were summoned after missing the October camp. (Dest wasn’t ready for the demands of an international call-up amid his steady return from an ACL injury, while Adams remained home with his pregnant wife.)
Following this camp, Pochettino will not be able to work with his players again until a late-March camp involving friendlies reportedly against Portugal and Belgium.
Asked whether he has enough time, amid the player absences and his relatively short tenure, to prepare the team for the World Cup, Pochettino said, “I am not concerned. … We have time enough. We need to be intelligent and we need to give our best to perform. It’s up to us. I am not worried. … We are going to build a very good roster that can compete in the best way.”
U.S. roster for November friendlies
Goalkeepers: Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew).
Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Mönchengladbach), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel), Auston Trusty (Celtic).
Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Gio Reyna (Mönchengladbach), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew).
Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Haji Wright (Coventry City).
