A serious look at Mauricio Pochettino

I feel like Poch did fine with Tottenham until 16/17 where they "came 3rd in a two horse race." IMO his reaction the next season should have been to go all out for at least one competition, to bounce back from the previous disappointment (especially as he had a good opportunity in Europa), but he still crashed out of them, and didn't challenge for the league despite coming second. This is the point where I think he started underachieving with his squad, and downplaying expectations put him in a worse light, whereas before it was acceptable.

He's shown no such fight. He's in his comfort zone where everyone is hailing lord poch.

He should know that with bigger job comes bigger expectations. You dont get by at madrid only playing attacking football.
 
Just as good as Klopp relegating Mainz in 2006/07?

By all accounts Cardiff were shite at that time with players not good enough to play in the EPL.
Poch himself was going to relegate Espanyol, and so was sacked (mutual consent leave). They survived with the new manager.

To be fair, I am not sure that there is any correlation on how well does a manager in a big club vs a small club. St Mirren sacked Sir Alex Ferguson for example, that didn't stop him from doing well for Aberdeen and United.
 
Poch himself was going to relegate Espanyol, and so was sacked (mutual consent leave). They survived with the new manager.

To be fair, I am not sure that there is any correlation on how well does a manager in a big club vs a small club. St Mirren sacked Sir Alex Ferguson for example, that didn't stop him from doing well for Aberdeen and United.

True, getting sacked in football is nothing new or in any way indicative of a managers talent or ability. Very, very few managers have avoided that, and you never know in the future they may still get sacked anyways.

But with Poch, people pretend that Espanyol tenure never happened, while Ole is judged only on his time with Cardiff, which quite frankly is a fraction of his time in management, and at a club which was favorites to be relegated at the time.

I think Poch is very good, but nothing more. He is neither exceptional, nor extraordinary. I will be okay with his appointment, but I am not desperate for it like a few.
 
True, getting sacked in football is nothing new or in any way indicative of a managers talent or ability. Very, very few managers have avoided that, and you never know in the future they may still get sacked anyways.

But with Poch, people pretend that Espanyol tenure never happened, while Ole is judged only on his time with Cardiff, which quite frankly is a fraction of his time in management, and at a club which was favorites to be relegated at the time.

I think Poch is very good, but nothing more. He is neither exceptional, nor extraordinary. I will be okay with his appointment, but I am not desperate for it like a few.

That's not really true, though, is it?

I mean if Ole was to be judged entirely on his brief stint as manager of the 'doomed regardless' Cardiff City, then he would never have been considered for the United job in the first place - temporary or otherwise. What he had achieved with Molde clearly impressed the relevant people in charge of the club. In combination with a good interview and that frankly adorable smile, he was practically a shoo-in for the job.
 
As an outsider, looking in, the Man Utd players stopped playing for Jose, no secret in that.
Ole has done well, the test will come, when he loses a couple of matches, and the fans start moaning.
 
Another thing is, regarding the hope that Pochettino changes his tune at United: haven't we seen already that for the most part, managers don't do this?
Fergie didn't change from Aberdeen to United, Moyes didn't change from Everton to United, nor did LVG, or Mourinho, or currently Solksjaer. Even looking away from United, managers like Pep, Klopp, Conte, etc. never really change to adapt to their clubs; rather the clubs tries to find the right kind of managerial fits. What gives anyone the hope that Poch will change to fits United's ideals and ambitions?
Bingo
 
Looks like more or less same as Poch's last season at Espanyol.

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:D
 
Poch himself was going to relegate Espanyol, and so was sacked (mutual consent leave). They survived with the new manager.

To be fair, I am not sure that there is any correlation on how well does a manager in a big club vs a small club. St Mirren sacked Sir Alex Ferguson for example, that didn't stop him from doing well for Aberdeen and United.

That's exactly my point. Apart from Pep every manager has at least one bad job in his resume.
 
That's exactly my point. Apart from Pep every manager has at least one bad job in his resume.

I think people in here are misinformed about the work Pochettino and Klopp did at Espanyol and Mainz. While the endings weren't great, neither was a bad job for them. Pochettino saved Espanyol from relegation and led them to a couple decent finishes, and Klopp got Mainz promoted, and despite all the odds being stacked against him (no money favourites to go down) got them a few good finishes in the Bundesliga. On the whole you'd say both did a good job at their respective positions, which is why clubs went in for them.

That's not to say I think United shouldn't keep faith with Solksjaer, they should give him the job, he's done brilliantly.
 
Not only is Ole doing well, he is looking and sounding like a man utd manager - a breath of fresh air after Mourinho who I always said should go!
 
If we don't choose Ole someone else will

Possibly. If I was another club looking for a manager I might be concerned about how he talks in regards Utd though. He's saying all the right things since coming to us, but he also talks as an insider. Would he be as well spoken if he was at Everton for example?
 
Possibly. If I was another club looking for a manager I might be concerned about how he talks in regards Utd though. He's saying all the right things since coming to us, but he also talks as an insider. Would he be as well spoken if he was at Everton for example?
Ole is a United insider. What a waste of time it would be doing what you're doing thinking of him hypothetically as a non Utd insider
 
Another thing is, regarding the hope that Pochettino changes his tune at United: haven't we seen already that for the most part, managers don't do this?
Fergie didn't change from Aberdeen to United, Moyes didn't change from Everton to United, nor did LVG, or Mourinho, or currently Solksjaer. Even looking away from United, managers like Pep, Klopp, Conte, etc. never really change to adapt to their clubs; rather the clubs tries to find the right kind of managerial fits. What gives anyone the hope that Poch will change to fits United's ideals and ambitions?

My thoughts exactly
 
Can't believe so many United fans wouldn't want him as a permanent first team coach, even accounting for yesterday's performance, as a manager you can't account for the sitters the players missed, imo he's a top manager doing a decent job with his hands tied on transfers
Well saying a City fan wants Poch in at United
 
Has anyone ever watched a Spurs game and been entertained apart from their fluke in the CL?

Ole is tactically proven in big games now whereas Plan A Poch isn't. That's before you even consider it's entertaining to watch Man Utd now and isn't to watch Spurs.
 
Has anyone ever watched a Spurs game and been entertained apart from their fluke in the CL?

Ole is tactically proven in big games now whereas Plan A Poch isn't. That's before you even consider it's entertaining to watch Man Utd now and isn't to watch Spurs.

Nope. Never. Didn't enjoy us beat Everton 6-2 or Bournemouth 5-0 this season, nor us taking apart Chelsea 3-1. We're a really boring side. What fluke would that be?

Ole is 'tactically proven' after winning 2 big games, one in which he leaned heavily on the genius tactic of De Gea bailing you out. Miraculous.

We're not entertaining to watch right now because we're missing all of our star attacking players. It's not rocket science.
 
I think people in here are misinformed about the work Pochettino and Klopp did at Espanyol and Mainz. While the endings weren't great, neither was a bad job for them. Pochettino saved Espanyol from relegation and led them to a couple decent finishes, and Klopp got Mainz promoted, and despite all the odds being stacked against him (no money favourites to go down) got them a few good finishes in the Bundesliga. On the whole you'd say both did a good job at their respective positions, which is why clubs went in for them.

That's not to say I think United shouldn't keep faith with Solksjaer, they should give him the job, he's done brilliantly.
Not really. It is more the comparison with Solskjaer, that having a bad season in a club destined to be relegated doesn't make them bad managers. Ole took Cardiff in Jan when they were going to get relegated anyway, and relegated them. It doesn't make him a bad manager, same as last season at Mainz (or even at BVB for that matter) doesn't make Klopp a bad manager.

In Poch's particular case, he finished with Espanyol 11, 8 and 14 (average position is 11). In the previous 3 seasons they finished 11, 12 and 10 (average position 11). In next 3 seasons they finished 13 (were 20 when Poch was sacked), 14 and 10 (average position 12). Hardly a difference before him, with him and after him.
 
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Spurs suddenly get upgraded to top club despite hardly any investment on the team just so people can beat Pochettino with the no trophy drum. I’d like to see these trophy laden managers that have Espanyol, Soton and Spurs as their resume. The guy has been doing a consistently good job in England.
 
Has anyone ever watched a Spurs game and been entertained apart from their fluke in the CL?

Ole is tactically proven in big games now whereas Plan A Poch isn't. That's before you even consider it's entertaining to watch Man Utd now and isn't to watch Spurs.

I think people overstate the tactical point of view of a manager. All tactics have been done before a million times and straight from a tactics manual.

Do you really think Ole going to Spurs and Arsenal away, compact defending well and trying to hit them on the break is really a masterclass genius tactic? Anyone who watches football would've played the same tactic given how poor we are defending openly and how fast or attackers can be.
 
I think people overstate the tactical point of view of a manager. All tactics have been done before a million times and straight from a tactics manual.

Do you really think Ole going to Spurs and Arsenal away, compact defending well and trying to hit them on the break is really a masterclass genius tactic? Anyone who watches football would've played the same tactic given how poor we are defending openly and how fast or attackers can be.
Poch wouldn't have gone to Emirates and outclassed them like Ole did. His shocking record away from home against big teams proves this. They're too open.
 
I think people overstate the tactical point of view of a manager. All tactics have been done before a million times and straight from a tactics manual.

Do you really think Ole going to Spurs and Arsenal away, compact defending well and trying to hit them on the break is really a masterclass genius tactic? Anyone who watches football would've played the same tactic given how poor we are defending openly and how fast or attackers can be.
Yeah, everyone in the predictions thread and all the quality football press had Lukaku starting on the right at Arsenal. Literally everyone.
 
Poch wouldn't have gone to Emirates and outclassed them like Ole did. His shocking record away from home against big teams proves this. They're too open.

Love how we went to the Emirates this very season and won 2-0.
 
Has anyone ever watched a Spurs game and been entertained apart from their fluke in the CL?

Ole is tactically proven in big games now whereas Plan A Poch isn't. That's before you even consider it's entertaining to watch Man Utd now and isn't to watch Spurs.
I don't find them particularly entertaining, but then I think that only City and Liverpool are entertaining (especially when they lose). They are alright though, but when someone mentions 'beautiful football', Spurs aren't one of the first things that comes to my mind.

There is also the tendency of the entire team being transformed into a collection of thugs when things don't go their way.
 
Nope. Never. Didn't enjoy us beat Everton 6-2 or Bournemouth 5-0 this season, nor us taking apart Chelsea 3-1. We're a really boring side. What fluke would that be?

Ole is 'tactically proven' after winning 2 big games, one in which he leaned heavily on the genius tactic of De Gea bailing you out. Miraculous.

We're not entertaining to watch right now because we're missing all of our star attacking players. It's not rocket science.

It seems to be to a lot of people atm, there's suddenly quite a few on here looking down their noses at Poch, whereas 5-6 weeks most were really excited when we were so heavily linked. It's weird how people can't see past this media crap about him winning trophies, when it is so plain that priorities have been on getting the CL money since he came in, & he is always just a few injuries away from his squad been exposed, hence why he's so keen to rest players in the Cups, this because Spurs can't invest in squad depth like the teams he's suddenly got them competing with year in year out, and even more so now they have just stopped spending.

Ole is undoubtably doing a fantastic job, but he's still some way off proving he's the man long term imo, even if he has been near perfect so far, and I still have the nagging thought that SAF is influencing this a lot more than we're lead to believe, no bad thing, but hardly sustainable long term. Real top managers are few and far between, so I think it's only right to reserve judgement on Ole for a bit yet.

I know you're a Spurs fan, but I really hope United are still doing all they can to lure Poch atm, rather than burn bridges like alot of fans seem to want to happen.
 
Has anyone ever watched a Spurs game and been entertained apart from their fluke in the CL?

Ole is tactically proven in big games now whereas Plan A Poch isn't. That's before you even consider it's entertaining to watch Man Utd now and isn't to watch Spurs.

I watched the game against us a few weeks ago, and Spurs, in the 2nd half were terrific. Very entertaining for Spurs fans, no doubt. We won, but it required DDG to put in a 'performance of the season', which most other keepers would not be capable of.
I would be happy if we played like that, but Poch just doesn't know how to win a trophy and that is VERY important to me. Top 4 seems to be something he is very good at, though and again, I do not want us to become a top 4 club.
Ole seems like the sort of manager who aggressively goes out to win a match (and trophies) and I think is more suitable.
Also, 8 wins a row is just ridiculous. Jose managed 9 wins, I think, but Jose is an established elite level manager. Solkjaer is still in his learning years. And when you consider the turn around we have had since Solkjaer's arrival, you have to say that he is the most obvious candidate.

The only thing which would sway me, is if Poch won a trophy - but he won't be doing that this season.
 
It seems to be to a lot of people atm, there's suddenly quite a few on here looking down their noses at Poch, whereas 5-6 weeks most were really excited when we were so heavily linked. It's weird how people can't see past this media crap about him winning trophies, when it is so plain that priorities have been on getting the CL money since he came in, & he is always just a few injuries away from his squad been exposed, hence why he's so keen to rest players in the Cups, this because Spurs can't invest in squad depth like the teams he's suddenly got them competing with year in year out, and even more so now they have just stopped spending.

Ole is undoubtably doing a fantastic job, but he's still some way off proving he's the man long term imo, even if he has been near perfect so far, and I still have the nagging thought that SAF is influencing this a lot more than we're lead to believe, no bad thing, but hardly sustainable long term. Real top managers are few and far between, so I think it's only right to reserve judgement on Ole for a bit yet.

I know you're a Spurs fan, but I really hope United are still doing all they can to lure Poch atm, rather than burn bridges like alot of fans seem to want to happen.
Or maybe there are 2 sets of fans: those who wanted and still want Poch as our manager, and those who never wanted him.
 
It seems to be to a lot of people atm, there's suddenly quite a few on here looking down their noses at Poch, whereas 5-6 weeks most were really excited ...

I certainly wasn't one of those who were excited at the thought of Poch coming.
In fact, it was when we played Spurs, that I realised just how good they were. I had never seen Spurs play so well and dominate us in the way they did, in the 2nd half. Poch himself said that that 2nd half was the best his Spurs side had ever played. The issue is that Solkjaer is showing great ambition/intent to win every match (and trophies), something which Poch does not. I actually believe that we are going to win, when we play lesser teams. Under Jose and LVG, I always felt that there was a good chance we'd lose to a lesser team. Under Solkjaer, I expect us to score a minimum of 3 goals, against such sides, while comfortably beating them.

It seems to be coming down to Solkjaer vs Poch and for me, Solkjaer is in the lead, at this time.
 
I don't find them particularly entertaining, but then I think that only City and Liverpool are entertaining (especially when they lose). They are alright though, but when someone mentions 'beautiful football', Spurs aren't one of the first things that comes to my mind.

There is also the tendency of the entire team being transformed into a collection of thugs when things don't go their way.

I think this is just a consequence of who they can bring in. If you try and get in quality ball players on a budget you end with a bunch of fancy dans who aren't talented enough to outplay the big boys ("lads") and arent consistent enough to rack up points from other mid-table teams. Instead he's bought and coached a squad that's hardworking and tactically flexible, and used that to maximise the talent of the few high quality players they actually have (Kane, Alli, Eriksen and Son, basically). I think the excitement of his football is definitely the biggest cross against Pochettino for me, Spurs can be technically and tactically excellent but they're rarely swashbuckling in the way Ole has got us playing. But I think thats largely a means to an end.
 
I think this is just a consequence of who they can bring in. If you try and get in quality ball players on a budget you end with a bunch of fancy dans who aren't talented enough to outplay the big boys ("lads") and arent consistent enough to rack up points from other mid-table teams. Instead he's bought and coached a squad that's hardworking and tactically flexible, and used that to maximise the talent of the few high quality players they actually have (Kane, Alli, Eriksen and Son, basically). I think the excitement of his football is definitely the biggest cross against Pochettino for me, Spurs can be technically and tactically excellent but they're rarely swashbuckling in the way Ole has got us playing. But I think thats largely a means to an end.
Not sure I agree. Klopp's BVB played brilliant football despite spending less money than Spurs, Jardim's Monaco player excellent football while winning the league and eliminating City from UCL, Sarri's Napoli played the best football in Europe last season, Spalleti's Roma played excellent football a few years back, Bielsa's various teams played batshit crazy but great to watch football.

There are countless examples of non-rich teams who play beautiful football.
 
I think people overstate the tactical point of view of a manager. All tactics have been done before a million times and straight from a tactics manual.

Do you really think Ole going to Spurs and Arsenal away, compact defending well and trying to hit them on the break is really a masterclass genius tactic? Anyone who watches football would've played the same tactic given how poor we are defending openly and how fast or attackers can be.

Is that you Paul?
 
Not really. It is more the comparison with Solskjaer, that having a bad season in a club destined to be relegated doesn't make them bad managers. Ole took Cardiff in Jan when they were going to get relegated anyway, and relegated them. It doesn't make him a bad manager, same as last season at Mainz (or even at BVB for that matter) doesn't make Klopp a bad manager.

In Poch's particular case, he finished with Espanyol 11, 8 and 14 (average position is 11). In the previous 3 seasons they finished 11, 12 and 10 (average position 11). In next 3 seasons they finished 13 (were 20 when Poch was sacked), 14 and 10 (average position 12). Hardly a difference before him, with him and after him.

Well Klopp's last season at Mainz doesn't undo what came before, if someone is trying to compare Klopp's tenure at Mainz to Ole's at Cardiff then they're making a mistake. Klopp did wonders at Mainz.

Regarding Pochettino, he took over Espanyol when they were in the relegation zone and looked in bad shape, he managed to save them from relegation. Again you can't compare the job he did at Espanyol with the job Ole did at Cardiff, despite Cardiff being the harder job.

I agree with your fundamental point that a bad season at a club doesn't mean a manager, and I think different clubs suit different managers. If Warnock keeps Cardiff up with a weaker Cardiff side than the one Ole had, I'd still think Ole is more suited to a bigger club due to the football he plays.
 
Or maybe there are 2 sets of fans: those who wanted and still want Poch as our manager, and those who never wanted him.

Not so sure, there wasn't too many other names been banded about before Ole came out of nowhere, but perhaps you're right, obviously just easier to be more vocal about how 'wrong he is' for us atm probably.
 
Not so sure, there wasn't too many other names been banded about before Ole came out of nowhere, but perhaps you're right, obviously just easier to be more vocal about how 'wrong he is' for us atm probably.

8 February, 2018

So far, he is more Moyes on steroids, than a really top manager. Most of the arguments here have been used for Moyes too when we hired him. Punched above his weight, net spent, gets the best out of his player, gives chances to youth players, builds a team and so on., failing to understand that not winning a trophy in 11 seasons is far from justifiable if the manager is really a top manager.

Now, Pochetino is a far superior manager compared to Moyes. He does everything better than Moyes, there is no doubt there. This is also just his fourth season at Spurs, so we should probably be a bit patient on judging him. But in my opinion, the time is running out for him to win a trophy if he wants to really be rated as a top manager, and either then constantly win trophies, or go to a club which gives him the platform to do so.

NB: A better comparison to Pochetino would be Spalletti. Like Pochetino, he did good recruitment, played good football and built teams better than what they should have done with their resources. However, he never managed to crack winning trophies. I made the comparison with Moyes because people here are more familiar with Moyes, and because Spalletti actually managed to win Coppa Italia twice.

March 7, 2018

The ultimate almost-manager. Talk of progress will continue for years. As will their absence of trophies.

No issues, think I remember now. He showed he could go toe to toe with Guardiola atleast, and fecked up by subbing off Cuadrado.

So did Sir David of Moyes, to be fair.

September 19, 2019

I wonder if some of the same posters on here criticising Pochettino who's operating with a chairman who's tied both hands behind his back, whilst blindfolding him; are also praising Klopp and Liverpool?

The same Klopp who experienced the same lack of investment at Dortmund to much worse consequences.

Same guy who won 2 titles and a cup against a team which had double the finances, and then reached UCL's final?

When Pocch achieves half of that (hint: it won't ever happen), we can compare them.

He's already done that (beat teams with twice the resources). He finished above four teams with twice the resources (United, Chelsea, Liverpool & City) in 15/16; four teams in 16/17 (United, City, Arsenal, Liverpool); and three teams in 17/18 (Liverpool, Chelsea & Arsenal).

He isn't as fortunate as Klopp in that he has to beat 5 teams with twice his resources... Not just one as per the hugely non-competitive Bundesliga.

Klopp has won exactly the same as Poch in England... Whilst at the same time spending hundreds of millions more on wages/transfers

Since when finishing ahead of some other team is the same as winning a title? Only in delusional Caf.

Klopp has reached an UCL final in England (as did with BVB). Poch has the 'almost defeated Juventus' trophy.

There are other posters who have been saying the same for years.
 
8 February, 2018



March 7, 2018







September 19, 2019









There are other posters who have been saying the same for years.

I wasn't pointing the finger at you, much as I think some of that stuff was harsh at times, it was a more general statement.

You are always going to have the ones that are dead set for, or against something, it's the ones in the middle that appear to have suddenly decided Poch isn't all that, I've no idea what's wrong with saying Ole is doing great so let's see how it plays out, but Poch is a really good option still so let's keep all avenues open, obviously we should be looking at other managers as well.
 
I can't get my head around why any Man utd fan would want Pochettino as our manager, he's a proven serial loser even with one of the best teams in the league.

A real top manager would have had at least a couple of trophies with the squad he has and you only have to look at our last 2 managers who both won trophies with a starting 11 that many consider being weaker than Tottenham's to see that.

He'd get eaten alive here from the pressure of needing to win trophies playing the united way and he would end up a failure just like the last 3 managers we've appointed.

Ole has an insiders knowledge of how the club works and what type of mentality you need to succeed here as a player or manager, he also has the fans backing and so for me that makes him the perfect candidate for the job and miles ahead of Poch and his loser mentality.
 
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