Mauricio Pochettino gave one of his USA players surprise 'privilege' after random encounter

Mauricio Pochettino has named his first United States squad for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Panama and Mexico, and has revealed how he ran into Antonee Robinson in a restaurant

New USA boss Mauricio Pochettino bumped into Fulham defender Antonee Robinson at a London restaurant before selecting him for his debut squad.

The Argentine is set to lead the United States in their upcoming matches against Panama on October 12 and Mexico on October 15, following his appointment as Gregg Berhalter's successor. Having taken up the position last month, the ex-Chelsea and Tottenham manager will be meeting most of his players for the first time ahead of these games.

However, he'll be glad to have already made acquaintance with full-back Robinson during their unexpected meeting, where the Fulham player's teammates introduced him to his new international boss.

Recalling the warm interaction at a press conference where he announced his first team selection, Pochettino said: "I've got to be honest, I met only one player- Antonee Robinson - because by coincidence he was in a restaurant with his team [Fulham] in London and I met him. I said 'hello' and we were talking and then because some players at Fulham were my players at Tottenham and Southampton, they introduced me to Antonee."

"That was the only player that I saw and I said 'look, you are going to be an exception because I did not speak with one [of his USMNT players. You have the privilege to be the first to talk with me'."

Delving into his strategy for staying in touch with the squad, he said: "I don't want to call only for the reason to say, 'Oh, I call some guy,' or another. I think all deserve the same way for us to operate.

"Of course, after the Austin camp, we are going to be more in contact. Maybe [players] we are thinking in the possibility for the future. Players with potential, we are going to try and create these links and relationships, for them to feel that we are going to care, and look after them, and follow them. And to try to push and motivate [them] that there is the possibility, there is going to be the opportunity, if they perform well.

"We trust the opinion and all the information that we received from the national team [staff], "That is why you are going to see a very similar roster from last camp.

"What we want to feel from [the players] is their commitment, their personality, their character, their capacity to adapt to a new era, a new way to approach the games. And I think that is going to be the key: the capacity for them to think in the collective, to give everything to try to be better like a national team."