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'Brentford & Mauricio Pochettino Had Some Conversations'- Tim Howard's Eye-Opening Statement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Saurabh Saket | Last updated Jul 8, 2025 11:14 AM ET

While the CONCACAF Gold Cup might not have gone the way Mauricio Pochettino wanted, the Argentine head coach still has a lot to prove with the USMNT. The former Tottenham boss is under heavy expectations, with the World Cup being hosted on home soil.

However, things looked bleak earlier this month, with reports claiming Pochettino was on his way out, as the manager was allegedly in talks with Premier League side Brentford over a potential return to England.

However, since then, Mauricio Pochettino has clarified that he was never in contact with the English side. Talking to the press, the Argentine ensured he hasn't been in touch with the Bees and wasn't approached for the same.

Tim Howard offers blunt take on Pochettino's Brentford links

While this is amazing news for the fans, not everyone is on board with the Argentine head coach's explanation. Former USMNT goalkeeper, Tim Howard, made his thoughts clear during his latest appearance on the Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan & Tim Howard podcast.

When questioned by Donovan about Pochettino's rumored move to Brentford, Howard stated, "If this is true, he should not resign. This happens everywhere in the world of football. I mean, we are so coddled in US Soccer that we don't know the way soccer works. The way this works is that agents do a lot of sniffing around, and agents do a lot of these conversations. Do I think Pochettino physically sat down and had a conversation with Brentford? Maybe or maybe not. I think there must have been a conversation with him. Brentford would be silly not to have a conversation."

He then further added, "And frankly, it would be silly for him not to have a conversation. You always listen. Because the fact of the matter is, this US Soccer thing wasn't trending before these last two weeks. Imagine they got knocked out of the Gold Cup during the group stages and everyone started calling for Pochettino's head! You don't think he should have a backup plan? Everybody has a backup plan."

Howard's words surely carry some weight, as things haven't turned out as planned for Mauricio Pochettino during his time with the USMNT. The team suffered a rough 2-1 loss at the hands of Mexico in the finals of the Gold Cup despite being labelled as the front runners to lift the silverware.

While Pochettino has vehemently denied any links to Brentford, it will be interesting to see if the manager sticks around with the Stars and Stripes heading into the World Cup or if the team is forced to start head-hunting for their next head coach in the upcoming months.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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