Tim Howard Calls Out Mauricio Pochettino- 'He Wouldn't Say That at Spurs'

Tim Howard didn’t hold back when talking about the situation between Mauricio Pochettino and Christian Pulisic. He basically said he’s not interested in the back-and-forth—what matters is Pulisic showing up and delivering on the pitch, because when he does, he’s top class. 

As for the supposed drama with his coach? Howard brushed it off, saying both men know Pulisic is the team’s best player, and that’s what counts. He also pointed out that in places like Milan, Paris, or London, you’d never see players sitting in front of the media admitting, “we haven’t performed.”

A Closer Look at the Drama Between Mauricio Pochettino and Christian Pulisic

Christian Pulisic has moved to cool talk of a rift with Mauricio Pochettino, despite their rocky past few months. The Milan star had raised eyebrows earlier in the summer when he asked to skip the Gold Cup after a long club season, only to add fuel to the fire by saying his request to play in the pre-tournament friendlies was flat-out denied. Pochettino hit back firmly, making it clear players don’t get to dictate the schedule.

Pulisic watched from the sidelines as the U.S. lost another final to Mexico, but he was back in the squad for September’s friendlies against South Korea and Japan. After helping set up a goal in the 2–0 win over Japan, he downplayed any tension, insisting his relationship with Pochettino is “good” and that the drama has been overblown. The U.S. will regroup next month with matches against Ecuador and Australia, and possibly a glamour tie with Portugal.