US Soccer CEO JT Batson said the federation will 'take a break' before resolving the futures of head coach Mauricio Pochettino and the vacant sporting director position, leaving key organizational gaps open after the World Cup.
Pochettino's contract ends
Pochettino's contract, partly funded by billionaire donors, concluded with the tournament. His future remains undetermined. Batson, speaking at a roundtable with media on Thursday in Georgia, said: 'We are going to take a break after the World Cup and rest and recuperate. I didn't get to do too much resting and recuperating, but we're excited about the discussions.'
Sporting director role unfilled
Matt Crocker resigned as sporting director in April to take a similar role in Saudi Arabia. Batson emphasized the federation's workforce of over 600 people working toward goals, rather than relying on a single figurehead. Both Batson and chief operating officer Dan Helfrich declined to confirm if a new sporting director would be among upcoming hires.
Leadership team remains
Helfrich noted that soccer expertise exists within the federation, citing vice-president of sporting Oguchi Onyewu, head of development Barry Pauwels, head of women's youth development Tracey Kevins, and women's national team coach Emma Hayes. 'I anticipate, in the months to come, there's a little more clarity on structure, but the fundamentals of the team are there,' Helfrich said.
