Mauricio Pochettino's arrival spells trouble for USMNT players: How Gregg Berhalter's departure left them vulnerable

Think of Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. You could say he led the team to six championships. However, credit must be given to Phil Jackson who did just as much to lead them to a title. At the end of the Paris Olympics, Emma Hayes took home the gold medal for the USWNT after providing effective leadership from the start. It's time for Mauricio Pochettino to take over the USMNT.

Be that as it may, the USMNT team will be faced with an experienced coach who brings European experience. The player has no excuses. Really. In the Gregg Berhalter era, there were cases where players accused the coach of tactical inaccuracies or other problems. Frankly, they can no longer afford that luxury today.

It is no longer a player-led team. It is a coach-led team! Therefore, an insider, Jeff Carlisle, appeared on ESPN to give his opinion on the Argentine's appointment. He stated: “That was the danger throughout the process with Gregg Berhalter. Because every time the U.S. didn't get the result they should have, or they played poorly, Gregg Berhalter was immediately blamed. Now that the U.S. is bringing in a top coach, I think the players officially have no excuses anymore.”

The poor performances at the Copa America raised questions about whether the players could handle pressure. The results suggest they couldn't. Pretty obvious, right? With the country hosting the Copa America, fans closed their eyes in disbelief at the performances of the players and the team as a whole. Since Poch prefers players who run to the ground, the USMNT players will have to roll up their socks quite a bit.

Carlisle continued with an exclamation: “I mean, they're under a lot more scrutiny than they have been in the past. There have been doubts about how good this team really is. Over the last 18 months, this group of players hasn't really made the progress that many hoped for.”

Mauricio Pochettino will test the limits of the USMNT!

Pochettino's arrival will test players like Weston McKennie, especially those who are often accused of lacking seriousness. His career trajectory speaks for itself. From Italian giants Juventus, McKennie moved to Leeds United, a team that plays in the English second division.

Carlisle cited the example of Matt Turner in particular. The US goalkeeper left Arsenal to join Nottingham Forest but became the second-choice goalkeeper at a club that battled relegation for most seasons, so things are looking promising for the national team.

We want the USMNT to win trophies and Pochettino, one could say, will be our last chance. Can he lead the team forward or, like his opponents, crumble under the pressure?