International boss explains Leeds United man decision ahead of World Cup with two-year planning process
An international boss has defended a Leeds United man decision.
USA boss Mauricio Pochettino has defended a decision taken with Leeds United midfielder Brenden Aaronson ahead of Saturday’s final pre-World Cup friendly against Germany.
Aaronson has been selected as part of Pochettino’s 26-man squad set to compete in this summer’s World Cup, ahead of which the USA headed to Atlanta to begin final preparations before playing two friendlies.
Aaronson, though, was allowed to miss last Friday’s training session for a big personal reason as the Leeds star headed back to Medford to get married.
Pochettino signed off his trip back home, Aaronson then making a quick return to camp the following day and an unused substitute for Saturday’s friendly against Senegal in North Carolina.
The States will now take in their final pre-World Cup friendly with Saturday evening’s match against Germany at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinoi, ahead of which Pochettino has been asked about Aaronson and his decision to sign off his trip back home to get married.
As quoted by the Miami Herald, Pochettino said: “The human being is always at the front of my mind.
“Players need to plan their lives, and the decision [to get married in late May] was made more than two years ago, before I took charge. At the time, FIFA didn't allow a national team to play a warm-up game before 1 June, and that was why they planned [the wedding].
"I wanted to allow Brenden to go. I know the type of professional player he is.
“It's a good thing to let him celebrate... In the past, maybe people thought we [coaches] are all dictators. Maybe when I was a player, it was impossible.
“My old coaches would have said, 'I don't care about you and your kids' [laughs].
“But today's society has evolved. Now we think about these things in more human terms than in the past. We were all happy. I am happy. He's happy. His wife is happy."