Manchester United dream, USMNT tears: Mauricio Pochettino prepares to leave the 'family' that restored his passion

As the press conference went on, Pochettino admitted that, for all his years in management, this was an unfamiliar way to leave. Usually, a season or contract ends. If you go before then, it's often someone else's decision.

"Normally, it's the opposite!" he said with a laugh. "You're sick, and you cry because you want to stay, and you are sacked."

This time, though, leaving was his choice. He had arrived in Atlanta the previous Friday. By Sunday, as his players were landing for camp, the Manchester United links had begun. United were looking to replace Michael Carrick, and Pochettino was their top candidate.

Talks moved quickly as Pochettino, United and U.S. Soccer worked through the details. By Friday morning, it was official: a two-and-a-half-year contract to take over at Old Trafford.

Pochettino was happy with the USMNT and insists he fully intended to see out the four-year deal he signed just over 100 days ago. There are opportunities, he says, that are too good to pass up. Manchester United, a club that he has long hoped to manage, was one of them.

"Not too many opportunities can happen in your career with a side like Manchester United," he said, "and, of course, when that arrives, it's difficult to turn down that situation."

He added: "It's a decision that, in some parts, is a very sad decision. In another part, it's that we are professionals, and we also need to try to find the next step to make your dreams come true."

Throughout the week, Pochettino's USMNT players said that they, too, were waiting to see how it all would turn out. They had heard the rumors and knew things were going on behind the scenes, but Pochettino did not address things with them until the rumors became real. Once he did, he made sure to get it out of the way. Before becoming Manchester United's coach, he still had a few more days coaching this group, and he intends to make the most of them.

"We had a meeting, and I communicated to the players and the whole staff," he said. "I wanted to say 'Thank you' because they were very supportive and they understand the situation. They know us and how committed we are in the next two games with the decision in between the federation and Manchester United to agree that we continue with our job in the camp.

"I think we will have time next week to talk about the job at Manchester United, but now I think it's much better to talk about us, about U.S. Soccer and, of course, the U.S. Men's National Team."

Throughout his press conference, Pochettino repeatedly spoke directly to both U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson and President Cindy Parlow Cone. It was in those moments he got most emotional, requiring both to step in with hugs and back pats.

"You never lied to us," Pochettino said at one point, fighting back tears, "and you put the human being in front of everything, and that is why that is really difficult decision, but we need to move forward...I think you make me feel really, really happy doing my job, sharing an amazing project, being part of this family."

Parlow Cone and Batson both spoke as well. The latter detailed the next steps of the coaching search. The former spoke about her excitement about the foundation. Those were the easier parts. The harder parts were speaking directly to Pochettino about his own impact.

"What you've done with the men's and the boys program in two years has been unbelievable," Parlow Cone said. "Not only have you contributed to their advancement, but you've also contributed to the entire federation being better, and you have been such a great partner to all of us. I just wanted to give you a heartfelt thank you. We're gonna miss you."

What made Pochettino so attached to U.S. Soccer was the faith they put in him. There was the initial hiring, of course, but more importantly, there was a dinner in New York before the World Cup. Over steak, federation leadership told Pochettino that they had a contract ready for him if he wanted to remain. Whatever happened at the World Cup, they wanted him back. Win or lose, they believed in him and what he could do.

That show of faith meant everything, Pochettino said. They believed in him in a way that few other executives would or could. That, in turn, helped him discover something that had been lost.

When Pochettino arrived in the U.S., he arrived a little bit disillusioned with the top levels of the European game. His tenure at PSG had trophies, but was also filled with stresses of the superstar variety. His time at Chelsea was brief as he juggled the demands of one of the world's most chaotic clubs and one of the sport's most bloated squads.

And so he chose to go to America for what ended up being a two-year adventure few could have mapped out. He fell in love with country music, regularly blasting it wherever he was during any given camp. He discovered Whole Foods and Chick-Fil-A. He fist pumped during "Country Roads" and met people from all over the country. During his stay, Pochettino saw America and, by the end, he felt American.

He also felt like himself again, too, as a human and a coach.

"I didn't prepare a speech," he said. "I am talking with my heart, and I want to say a big thank you to you because we recovered our motivation. We recovered our capacity to dream big, the capacity to train players that really want to improve and really want to share good moments and players that really care about the federation and this country. They want to put the country and the federation in the place that they deserve to be."

Pochettino's part of that fight is nearly over. "Nearly," though, is the key word. There are still two more games on the schedule before he flies to Manchester.

On Saturday, the USMNT will take on Haiti. On Tuesday, they'll face off again. Those will be Pochettino's final matches. He's looking forward to them. He hopes to enjoy them. Results tend to dictate how much a coach can enjoy a game, of course, and that'll be the case this time. Because of that, Pochettino is desperate to ensure that the results are ones he can look back on fondly as he tries to say goodbye in the right way.

"Before professional, we are personal, and there is an emotional link that we feel here, he said. "I think it is important to show the commitment, respect, and the care and the love, even if we take a decision that is not for one party, the best.

"I think we were open and we have the respect of the players, of the staff, and they understand the situation, of course...We are very optimistic, and I think it's a very natural way to finish our partnership."

One of the questions centered around the legacy of that partnership. Had Pochettino thought about it? How does he want to be remembered by American fans?

"No, no, I am not arrogant," he began. "Well, not arrogant enough! I don't take this project to make things to be remembered forever or to have a picture here in the national training center. The impact is the human being, to be a good partner, trying to execute the vision of the federation. In that case, it was to add our quality, our knowledge about the game, about how we see things, and to be part of this family.

"We hope now, in Manchester United, it can happen the same."

Nothing will be the same now, though. Starting on Wednesday, Pochettino and his staff will begin preparing Manchester United for a visit to Liverpool. U.S. Soccer, meanwhile, has already begun a coaching search that will be extensive. All that's left to do now is move forward, as Pochettino said, and both sides will move forward in different directions.

Yet Pochettino is confident in the direction of American soccer. He'll no longer be the one driving it forward, but he believes it will continue to move in that way. And, while it does, he'll be watching from afar, likely with a country song blasting and some tears in his eyes.

"It can be amazing in the future," he began, before finishing his thought, "with another coach."