Mauricio Pochettino set to decide USA future next week after World Cup exit

Mauricio Pochettino set to decide USA future next week after World Cup exit Mauricio Pochettino is expected to reveal whether he will remain in charge of the United States next week after their disappointing World Cup campaign, the Daily Mail reports. The US were eliminated from the World Cup following a humiliating 4-1 defeat against Belgium in the last 16, despite the controversial call to suspend striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban . The tournament hosts have now failed to progress from the last 16 in their last three World Cup appearances. Despite the disappointing exit, US Soccer is still eager to keep Pochettino at the helm. His current deal is worth around $6 million per year, and it expires at the end of this month. However, the federation has reportedly offered him a new four-year contract that would keep him in charge until the end of the 2030 World Cup. Pochettino has confirmed that discussions are ongoing and a final answer could arrive within days. After the defeat to Belgium, Pochettino indicated that he wanted some time to reflect before discussing his future. Meanwhile, US Soccer are optimistic about tying him to a new long-term deal. US Soccer CEO and Secretary General JT Batson was reportedly confident that the federation could find common ground with Pochettino. They still believe he’s the right candidate to lead the team into the next World Cup. However, not everyone agrees with that view. Former US international Alexi Lalas has argued that it is time for the national team to move in a different direction.  “I mean, it’s not that I want him to leave,” he said. “I just think that this cycle has run its course. “It was an abject failure. It’s one thing to go out to Belgium, it’s another thing to go out in the way they went out, especially with the way that they looked through the tournament.  “I don’t think the confidence and excitement was misplaced for this team, but they picked the worst possible day to play their worst possible game.  “It’s obviously on Mauricio Pochettino and these players.” Pochettino took the US job two years ago with an impressive CV that included spells at Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea. He was also briefly linked with AC Milan before the Italian club appointed former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim instead.