Pochettino defends not phoning axed US players

Mauricio Pochettino responded to criticism about how he informed players about his 26-man World Cup squad. Reports said he emailed players who were left out, while he sent video messages to the players included. Herculez Gomez criticized the approach, saying it was inexcusable not to call players who were cut, contrasting it with his own experience of being informed by voicemail. Pochettino defended his method during a news conference, arguing that players would not want a coach to call right after missing the roster. He said calling would center on himself and that players would not want to hear apologies or explanations immediately. He also said he cared deeply and could not enjoy the selected players because he was thinking about those left out.

"According to The Athletic, the former Tottenham and Paris St-Germain boss emailed players who were left out. In contrast, Pochettino sent video messages to the 26 players included in the squad. Speaking on ESPN's Futbol Americas show, former US forward Herculez Gomez - who praised ex-US manager Jurgen Klinsmann for informing him of his omission from the 2014 World Cup squad via voicemail - said it was inexcusable for Pochettino not to call those players he cut."

"Pochettino defended himself during a news conference, arguing that players would not want to speak to him immediately after being cut. "When I was a player, when I didn't make the roster I didn't want my coach to call me," Pochettino said. "The players who didn't make the roster, they don't want to hear me say 'I apologise'. What are you going to say? Am I going to lie?""

""I care. Do you know why I care? Because during [the past] two weeks I didn't sleep. "And today, still I cannot enjoy the 26 guys that are in front of me, because I am thinking of players that are out. "If I call, it's about myself. I say, 'Oh, I call, I am very human about calling and then giving an explanation'.""

Read at www.bbc.com