Folarin Balogun, Yunus Musah, Johnny Cardoso and the USMNT players with the most to gain under Mauricio Pochettino
Getty ImagesThe post-Behalter era means new opportunities, so which U.S. players would benefit most from a Pochettino hire?
When a new coach comes into a locker room, change is inevitable. Right or wrong, each coach has his own approach and, when that new voice enters the room, players must adjust.
The style and strategy that the members of the U.S. men's national team were used to under former coach Gregg Berhalter? That's all gone now. There will be a proverbial new sheriff in town.
Enter Mauricio Pochettino?
The ex-Tottenham, PSG and Chelsea boss is expected to be named USMNT manager, reported more than three weeks ago to have agreed to terms to take over the national team. Though nothing officially has been announced, all signs point to a Pochettino arrival, and should that happen, he'll need to get right to work.
Over the coming weeks and months, Pochettino would presumably assess everything having to do with the USMNT, top to bottom. From the player pool to tactics to schedules, it's all in the hands of a new decision-maker.
For some, that could prove to be challenging, as they'll need to adjust to a new way of doing business. For others, the change at the top could unlock the opportunity they've been waiting for.
There are players on the U.S. squad that would stand to benefit from a Pochettino hire, afforded chances they weren't under Berhalter. To that end, GOAL looks at which USMNT players are best positioned to benefit from a change in coaches.
