United States manager Mauricio Pochettino has pushed back against criticism of his decision to communicate with players cut from his 26-man World Cup squad via email rather than a direct phone call.

According to The Athletic, Pochettino emailed those who did not make the final roster while sending personalised video messages to the 26 players who were included. The contrast in treatment drew sharp criticism from former US forward Herculez Gomez, speaking on ESPN's Futbol Americas.

Gomez, who praised former United States manager Jurgen Klinsmann for informing him of his exclusion from the 2014 World Cup squad by voicemail, called it inexcusable that Pochettino did not pick up the phone for the players he cut.

Pochettino's defence

The former Tottenham and Paris St-Germain boss addressed the controversy at a news conference, drawing on his own experience as a player to explain his thinking.