With today’s somewhat surprising news that serial moaner Jose Mourinho has been given the sack by Manchester United, you could’ve bet his compensation package on the fact it wouldn’t take the media long to link Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino with Old Trafford.
Speculation about our gaffer continues to be rife and the only thing that seems to change each week is the reported destination for the Argentine – with the Mourinho development the media have forgotten about Real Madrid for a bit, and even the pundits are beginning to wax lyrical about his chances of turning United around.
One of those was former player Gary Neville as he told Sky Sports that Poch would be the ‘perfect fit’ for the now average Premier League team.
“I said last season that the next manager of Man Utd should be Pochettino. If I look at the values of United, you look at Pochettino’s belief in young players at Southampton and with Tottenham. You look at his performance levels and style of play, the way in which he carries himself at all times – publicly and in private – I have been fortunate enough to spend two or three days at Tottenham’s training ground. And for me, he just feels like the most ideal candidate.”
Neville went on to say that United have tried the ‘name’ route and those with more of a track record of ‘trophies’ and undoubtedly Poch will get into that bracket in time with us given our own development under him.
And I even understand the pull.
“My view is they need someone who meets the three key principles of that football club – the promotion of youth, entertaining football and to win football matches. So at this moment in time, I see him – and people will suggest that he has not won a trophy yet at Tottenham, but with a net spend of -£29m, or something over the last four years, he could not have done more. He has done the most incredible job and I do think he is the person who is the most outstanding candidate.”
I even appreciate Neville saying he knows Spurs fans ‘will not appreciate’ him saying that.
But he can still BOG OFF.
Our gaffer himself has already answered this speculation.
“I think after nearly five years there are a lot of rumours that have happened in my position here, as manager of Tottenham. I cannot answer this type of question. These type of rumours happen in this business, in football. A lot of rumours happen but it is not my business what happened at another club. I am so focused in trying to deliver my best job at this football club. Tomorrow we play another derby. It is so important for us – the quarter-final of the cup and I think everyone understands I am focused on tomorrow and doing my best job.”
Not now, and not in the summer – why would he take a step backwards?