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United States manager Mauricio Pochettino has responded to criticism over notifying players whether he has made his 26-man squad for the World Cup.
According to The Athletic, the former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss emailed the dropped players.
In contrast, Pochettino sent video messages 26 players got place in the squad.
Speaking on ESPN’s Football America show, former US forward Hercule Gomez – who praised former US manager Jurgen Klinsmann for leaving him out of the 2014 World Cup squad via voicemail – said it was inexcusable for Pochettino not to call up the players he cut.
Pochettino defended himself during a press conference, arguing that the players would not want to speak to him immediately after the cut.
“When I was a player, I didn’t want my coach to call me when I didn’t make the list,” Pochettino said.
“The players who didn’t make the roster, they don’t want to hear me say ‘I’m sorry.’ What are you going to say? Am I going to lie?
“I care. Do you know why I care? Because (the last) two weeks I haven’t slept.
“And today, I still can’t enjoy the 26 guys in front of me, because I’m thinking about the players that are out there.
“If I call, it’s about me. I say, ‘Oh, I call, I’m very human about calling and then giving an explanation’.”
The World Cup co-hosts will open their Group D campaign against Paraguay on June 13 before matches against Australia and Turkey.
