Duo Did Not Make November Roster, Manager Allotting Them to Stay at Their Clubs
The absence of Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie from the U.S. Men's National Team's November roster raised eyebrows, as the 26-year-old is healthy and has started recent matches for his club, including a Champions League clash with Sporting CP. However, head coach Mauricio Pochettino explained that McKennie's omission was strategic rather than performance-based.
With Juventus having recently appointed new manager Luciano Spalletti following Igor Tudor's dismissal, Pochettino felt McKennie would benefit more from staying in Turin to solidify his position under the new coach. "It's important for Weston to be there and try to convince the [new] coaches," Pochettino said. "I think it's more important than maybe being with us because we already know what he can provide the team."
The situation with Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards proved more contentious. While Richards was left off due to a lingering calf issue, Palace manager Oliver Glasner publicly criticized Pochettino's handling of the player during October's friendlies, claiming the U.S. played Richards for the full 90 minutes in both matches despite his struggles with the injury.
"My only complaint is the U.S. team didn't talk to us because Chris was struggling with his calf for many weeks," Glasner stated, adding that the matches were "just friendlies."
Pochettino pushed back forcefully against these accusations, expressing disappointment with Glasner's comments and emphasized that the medical staff maintains constant contact with clubs and that player welfare is always the priority. He also took issue with the characterization of these matches as mere friendlies, stating: "We are not playing friendly games. We are playing games that are going to prepare us for our journey to the World Cup."
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