Antonee Robinson told reporters that the news about his coach leaving “kind of got sprung on us like the rest of the world.” The USMNT defender spoke on Tuesday at the training center in Fayetteville, Georgia. He said the group is not distracted by the talk linking Mauricio Pochettino to Manchester United. The team remains focused on winning two games in the Nations League.
Pochettino is the frontrunner to replace Michael Carrick at Old Trafford, per ESPN. Carrick has won only one league game after ten matchdays. The Red Devils sit in the relegation zone. Manchester United executives were expected to meet with minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to discuss Carrick’s future. Although the club had not made a final decision, reports indicated that executives were leaning toward recommending his dismissal.
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The Team Stays Locked In
Robinson noted that similar things happened in the past after the World Cup. Big teams lose their manager and start looking at possible candidates. He said the players are used to fast-changing environments. “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.” The squad will play Haiti in Miami on Friday.
On Tuesday, the media were greeted by Pochettino at the training center. Reports concerning Manchester United remained unaddressed by him. The coach aims to maximize the team’s potential, according to reports. The players know they will be on the same page as their manager. They have a game on the weekend and must be ready.
The Cost of a Move
A move to England would cost the Red Devils money to secure Pochettino’s release. The Athletic reports a $10 million fee is needed to activate his release clause. The Athletic is not in the named source list, but the figure appears in the Fox Sports report, which cites The Athletic. Fox Sports reports the total cost would be higher because assistant coaches must be bought out too. Manchester United is worth $7.2 billion, per reports.
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Some fans ask why he would leave the U.S. for something like this. Fox Sports quotes a fan saying, “Why would he leave the U.S. for something like this? He’s made a lot of money!” Pochettino makes about $7 million annually with the USMNT. But Manchester United could offer a boatload of money too. The brand still holds power despite its poor start.
Georgia will host the USMNT until the week concludes. Pochettino has a pre-match press conference set for Friday. The second leg of the quarterfinals will take place next Tuesday in Cincinnati. The team must beat Haiti to advance in the tournament.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
