Knicks Title Run Is Fueling the USMNT — and Pochettino’s ‘No One Is Safe’ Policy Is Why

When Tyler Adams looks around the U.S. men’s national team locker room these days, he sees something he didn’t see in 2022: a squad deep enough to push each other into genuine discomfort. And according to the midfielder, that’s exactly the point.

In a revealing interview with Andscape, Adams opened up about how new head coach Mauricio Pochettino has overhauled the team’s internal culture. The Argentine tactician, known for his intense training sessions at Tottenham and Chelsea, has brought a simple but demanding philosophy to the U.S. camp: no one’s spot is guaranteed.

“We’ve grown up with one another,” Adams said. “We’ve created this amazing culture where guys can come in, push each other, compete, step on each other’s toes, and afterwards, dap each other up, hug, and laugh. The banter is there. It’s Poch coming in and creating this sense that no one is safe — that we need to compete with one another. But you treat everyone with respect.”

That edge matters more now than ever. The USMNT roster for the 2026 World Cup cycle features a deeper talent pool than the group that reached the Round of 16 in Qatar. Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic, and Gio Reyna give the Americans a level of attacking firepower that was missing just a few years ago. Adams, for his part, has been adamant about defending Reyna against critics he views as unfair.

Adams on Reyna: The bond runs deeper than football

Adams pointed to their shared New York roots and history as academy rivals — NYCFC vs. New York Red Bulls — as the foundation of a friendship that translates into on-field chemistry. “We’ve grown up with one another,” he reiterated, making clear the connection isn’t just tactical. It’s personal. And he pushed back on what he called “disrespectful” commentary aimed at Reyna, calling the attacking midfielder an elite talent who belongs in the conversation with the world’s best.

Inspired by the Knicks

But the fuel behind this U.S. team goes beyond Pochettino’s drills. Adams grew up in Wappingers Falls, New York, and spent his childhood watching the Knicks during years when the franchise was stuck in the lottery. Seeing the current Knicks squad — led by a high-character core — raise an NBA championship banner has hit him on a deep level.

“It’s inspiring,” Adams said, according to the interview. The midfielder sees a direct parallel: a team from his hometown that refused to be defined by its past failures, and instead built something real. He wants the USMNT to do the same — and the combination of Pochettino’s competitive ruthlessness and a roster full of players who’ve tasted the big stage has him believing it’s possible.

“That desire for championship glory,” as Adams put it, is now a daily reality in camp. With the 2026 World Cup on home soil, the stakes feel higher than ever. And with a locker room where nobody gets comfortable, the U.S. might finally have the culture to match its talent.