The analyst responded to Adams' comments about media criticism directed at Pulisic and the USMNT
Lalas called Adams' defense of Pulisic "aloof"Questioned Adams' understanding of media's role Defended right to criticize following Gold CupGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED
Fox Sports analyst and USMNT legend Alexi Lalas pushed back on Tyler Adams’ defense of Christian Pulisic, questioning the U.S. international midfielder's suggestion that the media should support rather than critique the star, especially after Pulisic skipped this summer’s Gold Cup.
Adams criticized the pundits who called out Pulisic, especially opinionated former USMNT players, saying "everyone wants to throw his name in the gutter because it creates a big story, or it creates noise."
“This was a strangely immature and naive, and weak kind of take," Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. "Not that he's defending Christian Pulisic, because we're all going to do that. But the way he seemed to think that there should be no criticism and we should all be kumbaya. And he talks often about, you know, some of the some of the players.”
Lalas indicated he appreciated Adams' voicing his opinion, but he thought the defense wasn't well-informed.
“I can appreciate and respect the fact that Tyler Adams was asked a question and he's not shying away from this,” he said. "Doesn't mean you can't defend yourself, doesn't mean you can't defend your teammates. But to be – at least in the way that he's painted himself – blindsided by this? Again, it's just for someone that I have a lot of respect for – and I think is very smart, and the way that he has talked over the years is sometimes beyond his years – maybe he showed a little bit of his youthful naivete in this article here.”
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Lalas said Adams showed a fundamental misunderstanding of professional sports dynamics.
“OK, so Tyler, if you can't explain it and you don't understand it, then you're – if I’m being charitable – naive… You've been around the block. This is not your first rodeo," Lalas said. "But this notion that everybody should be on board and nobody should criticize… the fact that it's so surprising to him that anybody – whether it's guys like myself or others that do this for a living – I just think that it's being a little, like I said, naive and aloof to the reality of the situation, that, by the way, Tyler Adams, you and your players have created.
"And that's why the change [from Gregg Berhalter to Pochettino] was made. And when you go out in the Nations League [early] and we're worried about what we’re going to do next summer – such an important summer – I think it's completely logical for any player that's been around to understand that you were going to come in for criticism."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Prior to winning five games in a row to reach the 2025 Gold Cup final, the USMNT lost consecutive games to Panama, Canada, Turkey, and Switzerland by a combined scoreline of 9-2.
AFPWHAT’S NEXT?
Adams returns to Premier League duties with AFC Bournemouth while the USMNT faces continued scrutiny regarding their Gold Cup shortcomings. The team must quickly regroup for September's international fixtures.
