A serious look at Mauricio Pochettino

[njred]

It's not THAT bad, yet!

Sell Pogba, buy Bruno Fernandes and a quick centre half and a goalscorer and this United team would improve massively. 3 more players would get you to the top 4 level with a view to becoming title challengers again the following season.

I think it’s worse than I actually said in that post. It has to be if I’m feeling sorry for the united coach. Our Klopp or Pep would make a difference but the frustration would set in once they get accustomed to way things are run at united. The whole of top mgt has to be changed.

 

[Yagami]

Will he want to take a team into the EL, if that turns out to be what's on offer, if he has offers from CL-qualified teams?

I'm sure Poch will look at the bigger picture when taking his next job.

If he believes the board will back him, and believes in his own abilities to create a title winning squad if backed, I think we'd be a very attractive place for him. Long term, if backed, I reckon he'd favour building a team that could compete on all fronts at United than the majority of teams who will be in the CL next year, but, in the long run, probably won't be able to provide the resources to compete at the top.

I don't think he wants to manage a team that's merely in the CL. He'll want to manage a team that he believes he could eventually win things with, and that might not be with us, sure.

 

[Adnan]

He is one of the best options for United based on what they need to do.

I don't understand the comments that Pep or Klopp wouldn't do better? Do you honestly not think a better manager would be the difference between beating Burnley at home?

Solskjaer wouldn't get a job at any other team in the Premier league. You have arguably got the worst manager in the league.

Pochettino consistently qualified for the Champions League and was 1 match away from winning it, working on a tight wage and transfer budget. If United were to bring him in now I would back you to make the top four.

The £150m spent in the summer was spent badly imo. And I believe a more experienced coach like Klopp who knows the German market would've kept Smalling and spent the £150m in such a way where the squad would've looked alot stronger than it does currently.

Personally I would've spent the whole budget on midfield/attack and I even said so at the time.

 

[Champagne Football]

People say they don’t want Poch because he’s not a winner, yet we choke every time we get close to top 4 (let alone winning something) since last season..

Klopp was supposedly not a winner on here last season due to losing his first CL final to a Madrid team that had outspent him by astronomical levels.

Pochettino is cut from the same cloth as Klopp. One of the very best of a new wave of elite managers. He's so ideal for the role here, that it's not even funny. Bring in his old buddy Paul Mitchell also.

Ole had his chance. He's done some impressive dirty work replacing fat cat disinterested players with talented kids, but he's simply miles out of his depth.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

That's like putting a higher powered rifle in the hands of someone who STILL doesn't know how to shoot. Still gonna end in off target shots and ultimately tears

Mourinho finished second and won the Europa League, Van Gaal 4th and the FA Cup. Both of these under the current board.

The upper management including the ownership is clearly diabolical but a good manager can still help.

 

[fps]

Kind of sick of people using just trophies to judge managers. I am ok if you don't think that Pochettino should be at United but if you actually genuinely follow football week after week then it is beyond me how you can consider his time at Spurs to be anything but a massive success

Agreed, some people don’t really understand football, they just like insulting successful people.

 

[fps]

Mourinho finished second and won the Europa League, Van Gaal 4th and the FA Cup. Both of these under the current board.

The upper management including the ownership is clearly diabolical but a good manager can still help.

I am now clear in my mind that Pochettino should be appointed this summer.

 

[Fridge chutney]

He is one of the best options for United based on what they need to do.

I don't understand the comments that Pep or Klopp wouldn't do better? Do you honestly not think a better manager would be the difference between beating Burnley at home?

Solskjaer wouldn't get a job at any other team in the Premier league. You have arguably got the worst manager in the league.

Pochettino consistently qualified for the Champions League and was 1 match away from winning it, working on a tight wage and transfer budget. If United were to bring him in now I would back you to make the top four.

Thank you. A post from an oppo that makes sense.

I don't understand the narrative that managers won't have funds available... We outspend everyone but City, which just shows how mismanaged that spending has been given we have such a depleted squad.

Hiring the right people who impact change is obviously the thing we haven't been doing well, so getting the right manager in is a priority. It will clearly make a difference, especially since our existing manager is not up to par.

 

[AneRu]

Will he want to take a team into the EL, if that turns out to be what's on offer, if he has offers from CL-qualified teams?

I am sure you considered it a low blow but if he believes in himself, like Klopp did when he went to Liverpool, then this United challenge is the next logical step in his career. There is only one CL qualified team that will be more attractive to him and that's City but I don't think that the City job will be vacant anytime soon.

We have the capacity and, up until recently, the will to outspend or match anyone in the league. We also have some exciting talents coming through added to Rashford who has just had his breakthrough season as an elite player and useful journeymen like Maguire, Fred etc. The job isn't that big if he gets the backing.

 

[giorno]

The £150m spent in the summer was spent badly imo.

It wasn't. Your defence is good. It's the attack that's the problem

Club took the long-term view to rebuild and decided to focus on one area last summer, and the results have been good in that area.

Would've been nicer if they'd been more upfront about it with the fans. I don't think getting back into CL next season was a priority for you entering the season

 

[theklr]

After that match it is clear a mgr is not going to make a difference in the fortunes of united. Your mgr looked like a lost kid after that match. If you bring in Poch he will get limited funds I reckon and the merry go round continues. So many issues starting at top with bad buys, decisions(no strikers) ect. Put injuries on top of that having no Pogba and Maguire not living up to his contract and it looks a mess with no out at the
moment.
You need a plan. This is the worst you've been since the 80s.

Pochettino would have made these players look a lot better than what Solskjær is doing.
And imagine what he could do with our full starting XI. He would have easily made top 4 this season, I have no doubt about it.
Player by player it is more or less the same as what he had with Spurs.

 

[OleBoiii]

And imagine what he could do with our full starting XI. He would have easily made top 4 this season, I have no doubt about it.

So would Solskjær. Do you really think all our injuries have cost us less than 6 points?

 

[passing-wind]

He is one of the best options for United based on what they need to do.

I don't understand the comments that Pep or Klopp wouldn't do better? Do you honestly not think a better manager would be the difference between beating Burnley at home?

Solskjaer wouldn't get a job at any other team in the Premier league. You have arguably got the worst manager in the league.

Pochettino consistently qualified for the Champions League and was 1 match away from winning it, working on a tight wage and transfer budget. If United were to bring him in now I would back you to make the top four.

Some of our fan-base come across as stupid as Ole does in his interviews.

 

[theklr]

So would Solskjær. Do you really think all our injuries have cost us less than 6 points?

True, but Pochettino would have made more points with our current injuries.

 

[#07]

Pochettino would have made these players look a lot better than what Solskjær is doing.
And imagine what he could do with our full starting XI. He would have easily made top 4 this season, I have no doubt about it.
Player by player it is more or less the same as what he had with Spurs.

I agree that Pochettino would have coached this squad better but its still a weak squad. Pochettino cannot make Andreas play like Iniesta. He cannot turn back time for Mata. Poch wouldn't turn Lingard into Hazard.

Pochettino is a very good coach but, with this squad, the height of ambition would be fourth place and a cup. Some people say a bad workman blames his tools but you can't give a builder tools made of tinfoil and expect them to fix a roof.

If Pochettino is smart he will stay the hell away from United. The taps have been turned off. He is not going to be able to replace the players he would inherit and those players, by and large, just aren't good enough to achieve anything.

 

[Oldyella]

So would Solskjær. Do you really think all our injuries have cost us less than 6 points?

I'm not so sure we would. When our players were fit we looked no better.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

I'm not so sure we would. When our players were fit we looked no better.

That's a lie.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

I'm not so sure we would. When our players were fit we looked no better.

Not true.

 

[theklr]

I agree that Pochettino would have coached this squad better but its still a weak squad. Pochettino cannot make Andreas play like Iniesta. He cannot turn back time for Mata. Poch wouldn't turn Lingard into Hazard.

Yes, but he could still teach them basic attacking patterns better than Solskjær. And most importantly, he would get their mentality right, to instill them with some sense of urgency and passion.

That was one of Spurs most defining traits in his prime at the club, their tenacity and effort. Think anyone who watched the game yesterday could see that it was very much lacking in that regards.

He would be more ruthless with them, and make them fear for their spot in the squad, even as thin as it is today. Ole is way too soft with them.

 

[Oldyella]

That's a lie.

I mean, it's my opinion, so cant be a lie. You might, and obviously do disagree, but I'm not lying, just wrong, in your opinion.

Who do we consider important enough to consider injury wise? Pogba, McTominay and Rashford? We have only lost the last two in recent weeks but even then we werent in the top 4. Pogba being fit would hopefully have made a big difference, but all teams suffer injuries, what if Chelsea had Rudiger available all season?

We couldnt get into the top 4 last year when other teams stumbled, and we cant this year either(so far). We are where we deserve to be, missing players or not. Rashford may well have been a massive help last night, who knows, but we have been slipping up in games we were expected to win all season.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

The fact reports say he wants the job and has done for 3 years?

And no its a start. The rest is up to us fans

Or the alternative lets stick with Ole and the long term plan and in 3 years when the excuses have run out and they sack him. Lets see what their next trick to fool fans will be

While I believe he would be incredibly interested in the United job, I cant quite see the "3 years thing"

Yes, but he could still teach them basic attacking patterns better than Solskjær. And most importantly, he would get their mentality right, to instill them with some sense of urgency and passion.

That was one of Spurs most defining traits in his prime at the club, their tenacity and effort. Think anyone who watched the game yesterday could see that it was very much lacking in that regards.

He would be more ruthless with them, and make them fear for their spot in the squad, even as thin as it is today. Ole is way too soft with them.

I feel there is a rewriting of history here, and things are getting forgotten and quite simply made up. Poch is a quality coach and I believe he would do well at United but on of his problems is he has favourites... players who are undroppable no matter how shit they are.

 

[#07]

Yes, but he could still teach them basic attacking patterns better than Solskjær. And most importantly, he would get their mentality right, to instill them with some sense of urgency and passion.

That was one of Spurs most defining traits in his prime at the club, their tenacity and effort. Think anyone who watched the game yesterday could see that it was very much lacking in that regards.

He would be more ruthless with them, and make them fear for their spot in the squad, even as thin as it is today. Ole is way too soft with them.

Lets agree to disagree. Pereira on his best day isn't as good as someone like Lamela. Maybe they would try harder under Poch? I doubt it though.

Hard to make players fear for their spot when half the players are unfit and the rest are inexperienced kids.

Like I said, I believe Poch would coach us better than Ole but I am not sure the result would be that much better. I do not believe this club is giving Pochettino a Harry Kane, a Dele Alli, a Christian Eriksen etc.

 

[DBT85]

Like I said, I believe Poch would coach us better than Ole but I am not sure the result would be that much better. I do not believe this club is giving Pochettino a Harry Kane, a Dele Alli, a Christian Eriksen etc.

Agreed.

We could easily have this squad minus Matic, Pogba, Lingard, Jones and Shaw next season. Sure they might have been absent or crap, but they still make up squad numbers and as we've seen with Matic, there are times when you really need numbers. Any manager coming in for next season is going to have to deal with a squad thats probably as thin as this one is. Even if we sign 4 players between now and the first game of the season, we'd have to have an unprecedentedly successful window to make the squad much better than we currently have.

In all reality we probably need 2 CMs and a #10 just to fill in for players leaving.

 

[kafta]

We should definitely have an agreement in place with him for the summer. There is no way Ole should start next season as our manager.

A squad overhaul (for the 78th season in a row) is needed, but if there is intent to fix this team, it would only require a good manager and 5 players to get us back to being at least the third best team in this league.

Problem is i have 0 confidence in these cnuty owners and their henchman to get anything constructive done.

So i feel that would put someone like Poch off, and will keep us in this wonderful cycle of inconsistency until we become Newcastle.

 

[Lynty]

Doesn't look like we have any real intention of serious investment. Poch would be just as limited with a worse squad. His tactics were never inspired anyway.

We need a miracle worker not a manager. Someone who can transform some of these players and get us working in a well oiled system. Tuchel or Ten Haag for me.

 

[Maluco]

I feel sorry for Poch.

He has Spurs, of all teams, consistently qualifying for the Champions League and even takes them to a final! Spurs in a CL final!

He doesn’t do this because they got a sugar daddy or were bought by a small country. In fact, he does it under severe financial constraints, a ridiculously low net spend and wage restrictions which dwarf their wage bill in comparison to the sides he has no business competing with.

After 5 years of this and little to no help from above (infamously signing no one at all at one stage), he finally succumbs to mounting player unrest due to low wages and a lack of opportunity to really refresh the squad.

He did this all with Spurs, of all teams, consistently, season after season...and then people say “let’s stick with Ole, he is not a winner”.

I think he did an absolutely stellar job at Spurs under really difficult circumstances. We are seeing now just how overrated the squad is and how he had them playing above themselves season after season.

How people believe that he wouldn’t be doing better than Ole is hard to fathom. Judging him at the very end of his stint there, after years and years of testing conditions, doesn’t make sense.

 

[2 man midfield]

I feel sorry for Poch.

He has Spurs, of all teams, consistently qualifying for the Champions League and even takes them to a final! Spurs in a CL final!

He doesn’t do this because they got a sugar daddy or were bought by a small country. In fact, he does it under severe financial constraints, a ridiculously low net spend and wage restrictions which dwarf their wage bill in comparison to the sides he has no business competing with.

After 5 years of this and little to no help from above (infamously signing no one at all at one stage), he finally succumbs to mounting player unrest due to low wages and a lack of opportunity to really refresh the squad.

He did this all with Spurs, of all teams, consistently, season after season...and then people say “let’s stick with Ole, he is not a winner”.

I think he did an absolutely stellar job at Spurs under really difficult circumstances. We are seeing now just how overrated the squad is and how he had them playing above themselves season after season.

How people believe that he wouldn’t be doing better than Ole is hard to fathom. Judging him at the very end of his stint there, after years and years of testing conditions, doesn’t make sense.

Agreed

 

[Hawks2008]

Not 100% on him but no doubt a very good manager and a massive improvement on Ole.

I could see this happening when Ole is sacked, though I hope we are very thorough in our search for our next manager.

 

[Cassidy]

I feel sorry for Poch.

He has Spurs, of all teams, consistently qualifying for the Champions League and even takes them to a final! Spurs in a CL final!

He doesn’t do this because they got a sugar daddy or were bought by a small country. In fact, he does it under severe financial constraints, a ridiculously low net spend and wage restrictions which dwarf their wage bill in comparison to the sides he has no business competing with.

After 5 years of this and little to no help from above (infamously signing no one at all at one stage), he finally succumbs to mounting player unrest due to low wages and a lack of opportunity to really refresh the squad.

He did this all with Spurs, of all teams, consistently, season after season...and then people say “let’s stick with Ole, he is not a winner”.

I think he did an absolutely stellar job at Spurs under really difficult circumstances. We are seeing now just how overrated the squad is and how he had them playing above themselves season after season.

How people believe that he wouldn’t be doing better than Ole is hard to fathom. Judging him at the very end of his stint there, after years and years of testing conditions, doesn’t make sense.

Well said

 

[Sp00ks11]

Solskjaer wouldn't get a job at any other team in the Premier league. You have arguably got the worst manager in the league.

Spot on.

However I don’t believe Solskjaer would get a job at any other club in our top 3 leagues!

He has shown nothing at all to suggests he knows what he is doing. Fans harp on about his unbeaten run as a caretaker manager, those people need to go back and have a look at how many of those games were fortunate or scrappy wins. Yesterday chasing the game and he brings on Luke Shaw and Lingard, it is frankly astounding how shite a manager he is. He was effectively given the job on a permanent basis by the media and fans creaming themselves over a fluke result against PSG. People will point to positive results like the 4-0 win against Chelsea, yet anyone who knows anything about football knows we were completely outplayed by Chelsea that day, same in the 2-1 away win against City. We outplayed them on the counter for 15 minutes before having to hang on for dear life for the rest of the game. The ONLY positive contribution Ole has had to this club is getting rid of the deadwood, however he stupidly did that without a coherent plan for replacing them.

 

[Beachryan]

We should be begging and pleading with the man. I'd forgoe Jan buys entirely if it guarantees we give those funds to Poch.

An absolute upgrade in every way.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

I feel sorry for Poch.

He has Spurs, of all teams, consistently qualifying for the Champions League and even takes them to a final! Spurs in a CL final!

He doesn’t do this because they got a sugar daddy or were bought by a small country. In fact, he does it under severe financial constraints, a ridiculously low net spend and wage restrictions which dwarf their wage bill in comparison to the sides he has no business competing with.

After 5 years of this and little to no help from above (infamously signing no one at all at one stage), he finally succumbs to mounting player unrest due to low wages and a lack of opportunity to really refresh the squad.

He did this all with Spurs, of all teams, consistently, season after season...and then people say “let’s stick with Ole, he is not a winner”.

I think he did an absolutely stellar job at Spurs under really difficult circumstances. We are seeing now just how overrated the squad is and how he had them playing above themselves season after season.

How people believe that he wouldn’t be doing better than Ole is hard to fathom. Judging him at the very end of his stint there, after years and years of testing conditions, doesn’t make sense.

I feel this is all a bit..... well wrong. The club had the best centre back partnership in the league, the best full backs in that system in the league, the best striker in the league, Dele on form, Dembele and Wanyama fit and Son plus a wolrd cup winning goal keeper. Your making out as if the team were a squad of shit kickers. Poch is a quality coach no doubt but getting to 2 finials and 2 semis and failing to get close to winning one is a problem.

 

[Cassidy]

I feel this is all a bit..... well wrong. The club had the best centre back partnership in the league, the best full backs in that system in the league, the best striker in the league, Dele on form, Dembele and Wanyama fit and Son plus a wolrd cup winning goal keeper. Your making out as if the team were a squad of shit kickers.

Before Poch or during Pochs reign? As a result of his coaching or those players were that good before he arrived?

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

Before Poch or during Pochs reign? As a result of his coaching or those players were that good before he arrived?

Of course Poch influenced their coaching but surely a player improves as much on their own ability and determination than simply being coached to do so? And if it was ALL Poch that improved them, why was he unable to get over the line with a trophy?

 

[HowYouDoin]

Anyone that thinks Poch wouldnt immensely improve the squad is fooling themselves. Yes the board sucks, yes we lack talent but a great manager makes a lot o difference. if we acted with the necessary urgency 2 months ago when we should have, we may have been top 4 by now. We wouldnt have lost to Burnley but nothing was done to prevent what was obviously going to happen.

Who do we have to blame? Only ourselves. Top 4 likely is out of reach now but there is Europa League to play for. It would be a massive thing to qualify for Champions League next year but its almost as if we just dont really care.
There is absolutely no sense of urgency. Ole gets to stay no matter how bad it gets, no one gets signed too, its all just such a mess and we dont care. Its like that Leslie Nielson meme where the building behind him is on fire and hes telling people theres nothing to see here.

 

[Cassidy]

Of course Poch influenced their coaching but surely a player improves as much on their own ability and determination than simply being coached to do so? And if it was ALL Poch that improved them, why was he unable to get over the line with a trophy?

Not really no

Not winning a trophy was an issue, I don't dispute that, but to act as if he didn't massively improve your squad and raise the level of your team is a bit silly. All done with minimal spending and the board not listening in time for moving certain players on. Something which you're going to end up having to do under Jose anyway.

When Poch signed a new deal he was promised significant funds that summer, you spent 0, that was the beginning of the end especially as Madrid and United had been sniffing and turned his head

 

[billybee99]

If you gave an expert fisherman inadequate equipment and surroundings as to do the job he had already found considerable successes in...would he still catch fish?

If you gave that fishermen several hundred million £ to buy a new boat and equipment and a crew, then yes, he would still catch fish.

 

[Maluco]

I feel this is all a bit..... well wrong. The club had the best centre back partnership in the league, the best full backs in that system in the league, the best striker in the league, Dele on form, Dembele and Wanyama fit and Son plus a wolrd cup winning goal keeper. Your making out as if the team were a squad of shit kickers. Poch is a quality coach no doubt but getting to 2 finials and 2 semis and failing to get close to winning one is a problem.

They certainly didn’t have all of that together and players like Rose and Alli are showing now how much he improved them over a long period.

Many of those players reached the peak of their careers up until this point under his management and players like Walker and Dembele were never adequately replaced.

The result? He still had you competing with square pegs in round holes.

Its obviously far easier for a Spurs fan to believe it was the players, now that Pochettino is gone, but I think time will prove how good a job he did at Spurs.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

Not really no

Not winning a trophy was an issue, I don't dispute that, but to act as if he didn't massively improve your squad and raise the level of your team is a bit silly. All done with minimal spending and the board not listening in time for moving certain players on. Something which you're going to end up having to do under Jose anyway.

When Poch signed a new deal he was promised significant funds that summer, you spent 0, that was the beginning of the end especially as Madrid and United had been sniffing and turned his head

I cant agree with you at al sorry, good talented players will be good talented players of course a coach can guide and instil a training program but its on the player to develop through hard work. I'm not saying Poch didn't improve our squad but I am saying the players he had were talented.

You forget Poch was sacked..... he didn't walk. Yes he could have got more funds but sadly we had a training ground and new stadium to pay for. He got money in the summer past, but it was too late for him IMO and it was tiem for him to move on.

If you are talking about moving Eriksen on sooner, how do you sell a player that doesn't wanna be sold? His end game was to run his contract down just like he did at Ajax.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

They certainly didn’t have all of that together and players like Rose and Alli are showing now how much he improved them over a long period.

Many of those players reached the peak of their careers up until this point under his management and players like Walker and Dembele were never adequately replaced.

The result? He still had you competing with square pegs in round holes.

Its obviously far easier for a Spurs fan to believe it was the players, now that Pochettino is gone, but I think time will prove how good a job he did at Spurs.

Alli has been shite since his first season, Dier and Rose deteriorated under Poch after their debut seasons. I loved Poch and will always be entirely grateful for him but people need to look at him as a whole many Spurs supporters had issues with him long before he was sacked, needs a much more balanced view of him and that is what I am trying to do, if you want to believe his is flawless go right ahead but its a bit of a silly way to look at anything to do with football. Again as I have stated MANY times I loved the guy, he is a quality coach, why do we have to be childish and say "aww a Spurs fan would say that".