Mauricio Pochettino Urged to Make Backroom Changes By USMNT Legend Lalas

The worry, Alexi Lalas admitted, is that any such person would be coming from outside Pochettino’s inner circle. “That person coming in might mess up the dynamic I have,” he imagined Pochettino might say. “And he’s right.”

But the former national team defender emphasized that if it’s going to work, Pochettino has to want it. “I want Pochettino to recognize that would be a good thing. And he might not.”

Alexi Lalas Names Curtin and Vermes as Ideal Candidates

Lalas went further and named two coaches he thinks could be valuable as new staff hires: former Philadelphia Union manager Jim Curtin and longtime Sporting Kansas City boss Peter Vermes.

Both are available and have strong cred in US soccer circles. “When I think of a Jim Curtin or a Peter Vermes… I think that could be a good addition moving forward,” Lalas said.

With Pochettino still learning the US soccer system, Lalas thinks a domestic voice could be a compass for him.“Especially in this case where Pochettino has no experience in the international game. No experience with American soccer and is learning on the fly,” he said.

The calendar isn’t in Pochettino’s favor either, with the 2026 World Cup coming up and limited windows for tactical development. For Lalas, that’s where an American assistant could be huge, not in changing Pochettino’s philosophy but in helping him understand and navigate the national team environment.

“Time’s a ticket here,” Lalas said. “So having someone that could be that constant sounding board of ‘this is what we are, this is what we aren’t’… I think that could help him navigate going forward.”

The former U.S. captain's message was obvious: put Pochettino around the right people, and he will acclimate faster and the USMNT will have a stronger building block for the most important cycle in US soccer history.

Lalas's suggestion was not a dig at Pochettino but rather a tactical option. With the world looking at American soccer in 2026, Lalas believes the most important element for a manager new to the US and international football is the correct assistant.