So there you have it. On Friday, Mauricio Pochettino shed his tears in an emotional press conference ahead of the United States men’s national team’s Concacaf Nations League two-legged quarterfinal series against Haiti, confirming what we all knew. The Argentinian is off to Manchester United with a desire to once again reclaim redemption as the 54-year-old manager – formerly at Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea — feels he has unfinished business in the Premier League.
The job is clear. To help a muddled United in complete disarray, which finds itself in 18th place with eight points from the first 10 league matches. This is the club’s worst start in the top flight in 40 years, of course the arrival of a certain Alex Ferguson. What would follow would be a period of glorious dominance throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, including 2012-2013, when the club won its last Premier League trophy to date, making it a record 20 league titles.
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Funnily enough, that was the year when a bright-eyed and eager Argentinian entered the Premier League to take over Southampton. At the time, there were plenty of question marks over Pochettino’s introduction, notably because most of the English press knew little about the incredible work he had done with La Liga minnows Espanyol, which included an early win over Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
But after Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, where he guided Spurs to four consecutive top-four finishes, a Champions League final and had it not been for a miraculous Leicester City run, perhaps even a Premier League title, Pochettino earned the respect and friendship of the aforementioned Ferguson, who perhaps knew something we didn’t. This was a manager who could one day take over Man United. In fact, with Fergie three years out of management and Pochettino at Tottenham (second season where Spurs ended third), they were publicly spotted having lunch in Mayfair in London back in 2016 – thus enforcing the belief of their deep respect for each other.
How could you not like Pochettino? As a person, much like his mentor Marcelo Bielsa, he is brutally honest, direct and only demands an absolute hunger for the game, no matter your title or reputation. But Pochettino has something Bielsa never mastered, which is charisma. And it’s this charisma that must collectively work with his football on the pitch to resuscitate Man United.
So as Pochettino becomes the first ever South American to take over the Red Devils as head coach, I see this situation with the club very much as the football version of “Mary Poppins.” First we have the Man United fanbase, playing the role of the children, Jane and Michael Banks. All they want is love, attention and someone to care for their club. The Glazer ownership, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS — acting very much like George Banks — begrudgingly have hired once again someone who can fix this mess.
Enter Mary Poppins. Mauricio Pochettino. The internal and external problems are as long as Jane and Michael’s list, but the hope is for their new manager to create magic and help them climb out of this conundrum.
It will, however, take more than Dick Van Dyke to save this mess, but I think Mar—I mean, Pochettino – is up to the task.
Here’s what Mauricio Pochettino needs to fix immediately.
1.
It is a clear affirmation that the anger that stems from Man United is not on the head coach. It is on the ownership. We as analysts and pundits have talked about this endlessly and it’s extremely clear that there is a detached, hierarchical, strategic problem within the club. But the Glazer ownership, INEOS—they’re not going anywhere in the near future.
Fans at Old Trafford expressing their displeasure. (Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
Pochettino’s arrival, despite being a band-aid over a gunshot wound, needs to be about mending a broken relationship. I’ll get to the tactical outlook on the pitch in a moment, but the overall objective is for the Argentinian to arrive at Carrington and begin to set a precedent of trust between himself, the players, stakeholders and most importantly, the fanbase. He needs them on his side from the very first minute.
The best way to do that is to speak to the press with honesty, to initiate a culture of blue-collar, hard-work effort on the training pitch, and to speak to the fans, about the fans, with the fans as much as possible.
This is a Pochettino speciality. He connects with people better than most head coaches and it’s his job from day one, to place the first brick towards the bridge of trust and mutual respect.
2.
The late legendary basketball coach John Wooden would always say, “nothing will work unless you do,” and I think that needs to be graffitied at the training facility in Carrington. Pochettino is known for his detailed -focused routines and gargantuan demands in training, but it all begins with accountability.
He is a student of Bielsa and no one asks more of you as a person or athlete than the man whose nicknamed is “Loco.” Pochettino is the same. And I think United’s number one responsibility is to heighten every asset of training. From eating habits to where you sit at lunch or how you warm up. Pochettino will demand perfection in practice, meaning that a few players will probably get a wake-up call when he arrives next Wednesday.
3.
What if I told you that the only teams in the Premier League who have conceded more goals are Ipswich Town and manager-less, bottom-of-the-table Crystal Palace? United has given up 19 goals, which is just too much after 10 matches.
Manchester United’s defense has been abysmal. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
But I also think the veterans need it too, beginning of course with midfielder Bruno Fernandes and centerback Harry Maguire. It’s imperative for Pochettino to replace doubt with strength, and finger-pointing with accountability.
I believe Pochettino can help this squad because this isn’t the same manager who left Chelsea in 2024. The Argentinian found a new version of himself with the U.S. and I’d like to think he arrives at Man United, not as a savior, but a warrior, who can help these down-and-out players pick themselves up again.
Or, in retrospect, as Mary Poppins flying down from the skies with a magical umbrella, ready to save — not London — but the west side of Manchester.
