The United States men's national soccer team has exited the World Cup, leaving key leadership positions unresolved.
Decisions on head coach Mauricio Pochettino and the vacant sporting director role have been put on hold.
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Pochettino's contract, partially funded by billionaire donors, ended with the team's tournament run.
The sporting director position has been open since Matt Crocker resigned in April to join Saudi Arabia's federation.
Federation Prioritizes Recovery
US Soccer Chief Executive Officer JT Batson stated that immediate appointments or extensions will not happen as the federation focuses on recovery.
"We are going to take a break after the World Cup and rest and recuperate," Batson said.
Batson noted that while his own rest would be limited, the federation is enthusiastic about future planning discussions with Pochettino and his staff.
He highlighted their recent involvement in recruiting U23 coach Steve Cherundolo.
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"I didn't get to do too much resting and recuperating, but we're excited about the discussions. [Pochettino and his staff] have been active about long-term planning," Batson added.
Regarding the sporting director role, Batson emphasized relying on the federation's broader workforce of over 600 people rather than a single executive.
Both Batson and Chief Operating Officer Dan Helfrich declined to specify if a new sporting director would be appointed among upcoming hires.
"We feel confident we have a great team, and that great team has soccer expertise from deep within the American system and soccer expertise from other parts of the world," Helfrich said.
Helfrich noted that ongoing structural and strategic discussions involve multiple internal leaders, including Oguchi Onyewu, Barry Pauwels, Tracey Kevins, and Emma Hayes.
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"I anticipate, in the months to come, there's a little more clarity on structure, but the fundamentals of the team are there," he said.
