Mauricio Pochettino isn't taking calls from Madrid or Tottenham. At least, that's what he wants you to know.
With Igor Tudor out at Spurs as of Sunday and Real Madrid perpetually linked to every high-profile coach breathing, Pochettino's name has been doing the rounds. Asked directly whether contact had been made, he kept it simple: "No. At the moment, no."
That qualifier — "at the moment" — is doing a lot of work in that sentence.
A coach without a long-term contract
Pochettino acknowledged his USMNT deal doesn't extend beyond the World Cup, and when pressed on whether he'd stay, he offered the most non-committal commitment possible: "Never say never. In football, everything can happen." He's right, of course. He also said "why not" when asked about remaining with the U.S. federation if both parties were happy. That's not a ringing endorsement of continuity. It's a man keeping his options deliberately open.
That ambiguity matters for anyone sizing up the Spurs or Madrid managerial markets. Both clubs could still be in play once the World Cup dust settles in July. Spurs in particular need answers fast — they're already operating without a permanent manager going into a summer of squad decisions.
Richards back, and the U.S. has bigger problems to fix
On the field, Pochettino has more pressing concerns. Defender Chris Richards, sidelined by a knee issue from a bad tackle in his last Crystal Palace appearance, declared himself available for Tuesday's clash with Portugal after training individually all week.
His absence against Belgium was conspicuous. The U.S. shipped goals in a second half that unraveled what had been a genuinely promising first 60 minutes. Richards' read on it was measured but honest: Belgium exposed lessons the team needed to learn before June, not during it.
"I think it's best that we learn these lessons now before the World Cup," Richards said. His call for more defensive toughness — making attackers hesitant, winning headers, stopping the soft goals — points to a backline that has the pieces but hasn't yet found its edge under pressure.
The U.S. opens World Cup Group D on June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium. Pochettino's future can wait. That fixture can't.
