Erik ten Hag this, Erik ten Hag that. This has been a hectic week of speculation linking the Dutchman with the Manchester United job, and there is huge reason to be excited about what he could bring to the club.
Ten Hag held an interview with United this week, with The Times reporting he impressed. While he is the number one choice, let’s not be entirely myopic to ignore that there are not credible alternatives out there.
Mauricio Pochettino is the most frequently linked alternative, with The Telegraph reporting he is also expected to meet with United. The Paris Saint-Germain manager is highly regarded and there is a sound argument to hire him, even if he is not considered as exciting an appointment as Ten Hag.
Here is a look at seven reasons why United should strongly consider hiring the Argentine to be the club’s next permanent manager…
Premier League experience
The sizeable advantage Mauricio Pochettino holds over Erik ten Hag is his Premier League experience. The Argentine managed Southampton for 18 months and Tottenham for five full seasons, and this counts for a lot.
Pochettino is immediately familiar with the challenge ahead, opposition grounds and teams, styles of play, and also familiar with the British media, which can be a very impatient bunch.
While Ten Hag may have a ‘higher ceiling’, there is also a chance it implodes spectacularly, while Pochettino is a far safer option who knows exactly what he would be walking into.
Pochettino took Tottenham as far as he possibly could and will feel stronger for his time at PSG, ready to take on the gargantuan challenge of restoring United’s former glories.
Long term plan
With Ten Hag, there is the danger United are getting swept up with the ‘man of the moment’, who may not necessarily have been the top choice 12 months ago. Pochettino meanwhile has been a long term target.
The Independent reported back in 2016 that Pochettino was the club’s first choice ahead of Jose Mourinho, but Tottenham simply would not entertain the prospect of letting him leave.
Before United got swept up with ‘Ole’s at the wheel’, United’s hope when Mourinho was fired, was to wait the season out to try and hire Pochettino in summer 2019. They did not stick to the plan, but this time, there is a second bite at the cherry.
Pochettino is highly admired by Sir Alex Ferguson, whose voice carries considerable weight. Going back to 2016 when SkySports reported the two met up in London, the Argentine has a high profile backer behind the scenes.
Ability to improve players
Manchester United have and will continue to look to the transfer market to solve problems, but this is not the answer to everything. United have a squad packed with talent, and need a coach who is able to improve them.
A key player who could benefit from this is Marcus Rashford, while Pochettino also helped Luke Shaw’s career take off at Southampton. These are two assets who the new boss will be expected to make better, rather than simply cast them aside.
Pochettino has shown an ability to do this, at Southampton he helped Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez make the leap forward, while at Tottenham he was behind Harry Kane’s emergence, and helped Heung-Min Son become a star after a difficult first season at the club.
During his time at PSG, Pochettino has helped some of the lesser known players kick on, with Danilo Pereira recently praising his man management style which has given his career at the club a second lease of life.
Ruthless streak
It would be harsh to count the inability to perfectly blend PSG’s superstars together against Pochettino when nobody else has managed to do it either. He is far from a soft touch and has shown at Tottenham how he is not afraid to go against big names.
When Pochettino arrived at Spurs Younes Kaboul and Emmanuel Adebayor were among the squad’s leaders. He soon saw enough to realise they were not what he wanted and Kaboul was out after one season while Adebayor was sent to train on his own and eventually released.
Fan favourite Sandro was also axed, while Aaron Lennon was also sent to train with the under-23s, with Pochettino deciding he was not part of his plans.
These decisions showed Pochettino is not afraid to take the big, and often unpopular decisions, and this United squad requires a tough voice, who is not afraid to be ruthless when required.
Worked with ‘difficult’ board
There is a sense that any Manchester United manager is somewhat doomed while the Glazer family is in charge.
Pochettino has had preparation for the difficult task which lies ahead thanks to his time at Tottenham Hotspur working under notorious chairman Daniel Levy.
In the summer of 2018, Pochettino was not given a single penny to spend, and really had to squeeze every last drop out of his squad. By the end of the season, he had led Tottenham to the Champions League final, defeating Ten Hag’s Ajax along the way.
At Ajax, Ten Hag is allowed to concentrate on the squad and his coaching, while United’s boss will need to do a lot more. Pochettino is well prepared for some of the more unique challenges which the Red Devils will pose to him, and while some will see this as a negative, he will work with the budget he is given without throwing a Mourinho-type strop.
Give youth a chance
Manchester United have a history of bringing through young players, and the likes of James Garner and Hannibal are primed to make an Anthony Elanga style step up.
Pochettino has a history of giving chances to young talent, having done so with Shaw at Southampton, and continuing this at Tottenham.
Harry Kane was the standout success at Spurs, along with teenage signing Dele Alli, while Ryan Mason, Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp were among the young players also handed their first chances under Pochettino at Tottenham.
Pochettino’s ability to utilise the academy was key to the work he did at Tottenham and United want a manager who will do the same at Old Trafford. With young academy striker Charlie McNeill, Pochettino could even find his second Harry Kane.
He wants it
A very key part of taking the job at United is hiring a manager who wants the challenge and is not afraid, and by several accounts, Pochettino is eager to take it on.
The Times claimed in November that Pochettino was eager to take the job immediately, although PSG would not sanction an early departure.
Pochettino’s family still live in England rather than France, a sign he never really saw the PSG job as a long term role.
Gary Neville told Sky Sports last year: “I think Mauricio Pochettino – although he’d never say it – he’d leave to come to Man Utd on a five-year deal tomorrow.
“He’d look at that group of players, he’d look at the club and he’d realise he’d probably be able to achieve more that he wants at Man Utd in terms of a project. At PSG you are on season by season – ‘you’ve got to win the Champions League or you’re out’ type of model. I don’t think that suits Pochettino.
“I think he would absolutely come to Man Utd on a five-year deal, with backing behind him.”
With all the momentum leaning towards Ten Hag, Pochettino showing a willingness to fight his corner and fight for the job will also say a lot about his desire to land it, and encourage United to strongly consider him.
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