Pochettino says USA players ‘cannot dictate plan’ after leaving out Christian Pulisic for pre-Gold Cup friendlies | OneFootball

United States men’s head coach Mauricio Pochettino says players cannot pick and choose when they play after rejecting Christian Pulisic’s offer to play in the pre-Gold Cup friendlies.

Pulisic had hoped to be rested ahead of the tournament, but offered to play in the recent friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland. The 26-year-old’s request was rejected and he was subsequently left out of the squad by Pochettino. However, the AC Milan forward will remain in the Gold Cup squad.

In an interview on Thursday with CBS Sports, Pulisic had said he “didn’t understand” the decision to drop him from the squad, but he “respected” it.

In response to Pulisic’s absence from the squad and his subsequent comments, Pochettino made it clear that he was the one in charge, not his players.

“Players need to listen and to stick with our plan,” Pochettino said. “They cannot dictate the plan.

“The most important thing is that we explain why we decided not to include him in the two friendly games. And then if you have some problems, no, that is not my problem to understand.

“When I signed my contract in the federation, I am the head coach. I am not a mannequin.

“It’s true that he wanted to come to be involved in the two friendly games… [but] for us, the Gold Cup is an important tournament.

“Yes, it was my decision, it was our decision not to include [Pulisic] in the two friendly games, and that’s it.

“It was in our [original] plan to bring him to play in not only the two games, the friendly games, [but] the Gold Cup.

“I love to be in communication with my players. I love to communicate, but at the same time I want to keep that all the players feel the same respect from the coaching staff and for myself, if someone doesn’t like this, OK.”

USA are currently on a four-game losing streak heading into the Gold Cup, the first time this has happened since 2007. The kick off their campaign tonight against Trinidad and Tobago.

Pochettino has been in charge of the USMNT since 11 September 2024, managing ten games but winning just five of them.