'The noise on the outside is the noise on the outside' - Tyler Adams says USMNT tuning out criticism from ex-stars Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey

U.S. men’s national team captain Tyler Adams says the squad is ignoring outside criticism, including recent pointed comments from Landon Donovan, after Christian Pulisic opted out of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

"We don't talk about that internally as a group," Adams told the Associated Press. "The noise on the outside is the noise on the outside. I think we need to focus on what we need to do as a group and continue to build."

Donovan, while serving as an analyst for FOX’s coverage of the EURO Nations League, took a thinly veiled shot at Pulisic without naming him directly. While praising Cristiano Ronaldo’s commitment to Portugal at age 40, Donovan expressed frustration with unnamed USMNT players who declined to join the squad this summer.

“This is what it means to represent your country,” Donovan said. “And if you don’t want to take this, as a professional soccer player and someone who gets the opportunity to wear that jersey and take it seriously and responsibly, then don’t come in... I can’t help but think about some of our guys on vacation right now not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It’s p*ssing me off.”

Pulisic’s father later responded on social media, telling Donovan to “look in the mirror.” Clint Dempsey also weighed in on his podcast, saying, “I always wanted to play in those games.”

The U.S., which has lost four straight games for the first time since 2011, fell to Switzerland 4-0 Tuesday evening in their final tune-up match ahead of this summer's Gold Cup.

"This is part of the process," Adams said. "You're going to win games. You're going to lose games. It's about continuing to build that. I think we're on the right path. We have to continue to build and try the things that we've been training. It'll take a little bit of time, but it will come together."

Adams, who didn't dress for the affair due to a minor injury, is hoping to be ready for their opening game of the competition against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday.

"A little turf toe-type injury. More of an overuse thing probably than anything -- overload. It was something that I picked up when I came into camp," Adams said. "Progressing well right now, but just trying to be smart and manage it."

This past campaign, Adams appeared in 28 Premier League matches for Bournemouth - a career-high for the Cherries after he missed a large chunk of the 2023-24 season due to injury, where he was limited to just three showings.

"It's definitely enjoyable when you're healthy," he said. "The 16 to 18 months that it was just on and off inconsistency is something I never had in my career and never had to battle. And then when it hits you and you go through that, you just learn different ways to navigate things, enjoy life, just not take things for granted, all the little things."

The U.S., who played their 10th game under manager Mauricio Pochettino on Tuesday, are trying to play more freely on the pitch, breaking away from the previously confined structure that was deployed under former manager Gregg Berhalter.

"From a positional standpoint, obviously we had probably a little bit of a different structure under Gregg," Adams said. "Mauricio gives the players freedom to find spots they're comfortable in and see how they can affect the game in different ways. I think our attacking players definitely have freedom to try and find the ball and create things in the right areas of the field. So, yeah, I think he gives everyone freedom, but there's still structure to the way that we want to play."

The U.S. play Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday in their opening Group Stage match of the Gold Cup.