Mauricio Pochettino is one of three former Chelsea managers who is still in the World Cup, and is winning over United States fans more with every game they play.
A 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina booked the hosts a place in the Round of 16, where they will face Belgium in the next round.
Pochettino broke a 96-year USA record by scoring three in a World Cup win earlier in the tournament, and is proving popular with supporters as he continues to deliver impressive performances.
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Former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is loved by USA fans
He also managed the Round of 32 victory after his side had gone down to 10 men. Chelsea transfer target Folarin Balogun was sent off early in the second half.
After the game, US fans took to social media to praise Pochettino for the work he is doing, imploring him to remain in charge whenever their tournament comes to an end.
One user said: “They cannot let Poch leave. 10000% his impact on these boys.”
Another added: “Poch has genuinely changed American football forever. Berhalter would’ve blown that game in 2 minutes.”
A third stated: “I don’t know what it’s going to cost to keep Poch here but honestly I don’t care. Give him one of the Dakotas. Or an aircraft carrier. Whatever, we have spares.”
Finally, one user said: “The culture & mentality Poch has developed in this group is crazy. We went down to 10 men, started to bunker, Poch got them in the hydration break, they came out attacking. No doubt his coaching in that moment is a game changer. We are playing fearless, tough, and with belief.”
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Pochettino never got this affection at Stamford Bridge
Pochettino would last just 12 months at Chelsea before his relationship with the owners became untenable, however he struggled from the outset to win some sections of Stamford Bridge over.
The fact he formally managed arch-rivals Tottenham was never going to work in his favour, and Blues fans showed concern that the work-rate he was asking for was an injury risk to the players.
The hydration breaks has allowed for his USA players at the World Cup to have much-needed breaks in the middle of games, maintaining their energy levels for crucial parts of matches.
The home nation and Pochettino look a match made in heaven, and they will have confidence that they can get past Belgium and book their place in the quarter-finals to potentially face tournament favourites, France.
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