Can Pochettino Win the World Cup for the US?! feat. Stewart Mairs + Daniel Hall (S2 E4)

The Insider's Lounge

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, we explore one of the biggest questions facing U.S. Soccer: Can Mauricio Pochettino lead the U.S. Men’s National Team to World Cup glory on home soil in 2026? Joining the discussion are two industry experts—Stewart Mairs, former Technical Director of D.C. United, and Daniel Hall, Executive Chairman of Dagenham & Redbridge FC and co-owner of Campobasso FC (Serie C) and Brooklyn FC (USL Championship + USL Super League).
Together, we delve into Pochettino's impact on U.S. Soccer, his unique challenges as a first-time international manager, and the roadblocks the U.S. team will face leading up to 2026, including a lack of competitive matches. We also discuss key topics like Pochettino's salary, funded in part by a $6 million donation from Ken Griffin, and the collaboration between MLS and U.S. Soccer to strengthen the national team.
Tune in as Stewart and Daniel offer insights from their careers in the soccer world and their predictions on what it will take for the U.S. to make history in 2026.
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Capitole

1. Intro (00:00:00)

2. Initial Reactions (00:03:17)

3. Negotiations & Hiring Process (00:07:06)

4. Pochettino’s Impact on US Squad (00:12:27)

5. Commercial Impact (00:19:25)

6. Timing & Competition Challenges (00:21:30)

7. First-Time International Manager (00:27:05)

8. Salary & Ken Griffin Donation (00:30:12)

9. USWNT Influence (00:32:25)

10. MLS & US Soccer (00:35:31)

11. An Argentinian Game-Changer? (00:40:47)

12. US Soccer Takeover (00:43:35)

13. Winning the World Cup (00:48:23)

14. Capitalizing on WC Investment (00:53:50)

15. USMNT Predictions (00:55:40)

16. Outro (00:58:15)