INGLEWOOD, Calif. — One day before his team’s World Cup match against the U.S., which is a formality for both teams, Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella delivered an extraordinary speech to begin his news conference, saying players had been treated unfairly by parts of the Turkish media and defending their performance through two losses at the World Cup that resulted in an early elimination.
“They are our boys, they are our players, they are the future of football and I’ve seen personal attacks I could not accept because this is something you’re doing against your own son,” Montella said in his native Italian through an interpreter. “I cannot accept it. From my side they will have unconditional support because they deserve this support and I will be supporting them all the time.”
Montella went on to list a series of stats from Turkey’s first two games to demonstrate the chances they had despite being shut out twice, saying at one point, “We cannot destroy everyone.”
The incredible rant, which ran over 10 minutes, was prompted in part by Turkish fans who confronted Montella, Turkish federation president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu and players including captain Hakan Çalhanoglu outside their hotel in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
“I don’t want my boys [the team] to be influenced by what people are saying, but I’ve seen their faces,” Montella said. “It’s like if they were my children.”
Montella, Turkey’s coach since 2023, was asked if he expects to remain Turkey’s coach after the World Cup and made clear he has no intention of resigning.
“I have the support of the [federation] president and this is enough for me. I have the support of the players and this is even more important for me,” he said. “If there is someone who would like me to resign, well, maybe they need to accept that I will not.”
USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino said “it’s not necessary to take a risk” and have players on a yellow card play Thursday, meaning none of Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards or Tyler Adams are expected to feature against Turkey.
Cristian Roldan, who’s missed training this week with a quad injury, is “evolving really well,” per Pochettino, and will be assessed Thursday morning to see if he’s available.
As for Christian Pulisic, who declared himself available Wednesday morning, it sounds like Pochettino wants him to play 45 minutes, though it’s unclear which 45.
“We need to decide if it’s possible to [start] again or be on the bench and have the possibility to play in the second half,” Pochettino said. “That is the situation.”
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