‘It wouldn’t surprise me’: Pundit makes prediction about next Man United manager
Steve McManaman believes that Man United may move for Mauricio Pochettino as their next manager in the future
Steve McManaman says he wouldn’t be surprised if Manchester United moved to bring in Mauricio Pochettino as their next manager.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has found himself under intense pressure at Old Trafford in recent weeks following the Red Devils’ stuttering start to the new season.
Manchester United currently find themselves in sixth place in the top flight after 11 games, with Solskjaer’s side having lost three of their last four games.
The Red Devils suffered a chastening 5-0 loss to Liverpool FC at the end of last month and despite bouncing back with a 3-0 win at Spurs, they lost 2-0 at home to derby rivals Manchester City last time out.
With Manchester United having already lost four times in the Premier League this season, there has been lots of talk about Solskjaer’s position at Old Trafford but so far the Red Devils have stuck by their Norwegian boss.
Now, former Liverpool FC and Real Madrid midfielder McManaman has tipped the Red Devils to go in for former Tottenham and current PSG boss Pochettino as the man to take over from Solskjaer – although he admits that may not be for some time.
Writing in his column for horseracing.net, McManaman said: “Pressure remains on Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if Manchester United went back and got Mauricio Pochettino.
“Anyone who works at Paris Saint-Germain for a couple of years has normally had enough of it! And Poch would probably be the man because of his knowledge and experience of England and the Premier League.”
McManaman also explained why he doesn’t think that Brendan Rodgers or Zinedine Zidane are good fits for the Old Trafford outfit.
“Zinedine Zidane and Brendan Rodgers have been heavily touted to replace Solskjaer but neither is probably the right choice,” he added.
“I can’t see Brendan going there. I think he’s got the credentials, yes, but I think his history with Liverpool would be too much for everybody.
“I haven’t spoken to Zizou in a while but I don’t think he speaks English and I don’t know whether it’s a job that would appeal to him. He leads a lovely lifestyle in Madrid and uprooting and coming to Manchester would be a big ask for him and his family. I think managing in France, in Paris, or at Juventus would be more in tune to Zizou.”
McManaman concluded: “Brendan and Zizou are more than capable and they’ve got better CVs than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. But Ole knows Man United and it looks as if the club are going to stick with him, certainly for the foreseeable future.”
Speaking this week, Red Devils forward Marcus Rashford insisted that he and his team-mates are determined to bounce back from their difficult spell.
“The Man United team is the Man United team, and we all play for the badge and the club, something for me I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid,” said Rashford.
“And for the players that we sign, they see Manchester United as the great club it is and they want to give everything they can for the badge.
“And those things remain the same whether you’re in good spells or bad spells. I know at the moment we’re in a difficult patch, but the desire and ambition never changes.”
