Pochettino and Ten Haag should avoid chaotic Manchester United

Time Stamp: March 12, 2022 2:30 AM

Ralf Rangnick was never hired to be the long-term answer to Manchester United’s problems, which is just as well given how the Old Trafford team have performed under the German coach. Instead, the idea is that Rangnick’s interim tenure will put in place the groundwork for a permanent manager to take over this summer with Erik Ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino reported to be United’s top two picks.

There was, however, nothing in Sunday’s Manchester derby performance, nor the performances of the last few months, to suggest either candidate would be wise to fill the vacancy. Indeed, Pochettino and Ten Hag would be crazy to answer United’s call, no matter how desperate or lucrative their offer.

Manchester United’s squad will take more than one or two transfer windows to fix. They are lacking in several positions across the pitch. United could do with new players at right back, right wing, central defence, central defence and up front if Edinson Cavani leaves Old Trafford as expected this summer.

Pochettino and Ten Hag are both proactive coaches who demand intensity of their players on and off the ball, but Rangnick has already discovered the limitations of Manchester United’s players. The German quickly ditched his trademark high-pressing style when it became apparent he’d inherited a group incapable of carrying out his instructions.

The structural issues that has hindered every Manchester United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson would also impact Pochettino and Ten Hag. There is no guarantee that they would be delivered the players required to make genuine progress. United are years behind their rivals when it comes to scouting and recruitment.

At Ajax, Ten Hag is just one component in a well-oiled machine. The Dutch champions are among the best at finding the right players to fit their system. Ajax have an identity not only as a team, but as a club. They are the antithesis of Manchester United who have grappled with who they are and what they stand for over the last decade.

Pochettino is more of a traditional figurehead. The Argentine has long been tipped as a future Manchester United manager and is reportedly unsettled at Paris Saint-Germain. In any ways, Pochettino would be a better fit for United than Ten Hag, not least because he has already proven himself in the Premier League.

But Pochettino’s reputation in the game is so high that he would surely have better, safer options than United should he leave PSG at the end of the season. Real Madrid, for instance, are long-time admirers of the former Tottenham Hotspur boss and could make a move should he become available. Pochettino would stand a better chance of instant success in the Spanish capital than he would at Old Trafford.

Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manchester United believed they were close to the culmination of something, but with the Norwegian now gone it’s become clear they are at the start of another rebuild. Do either Pochettino or Ten Hag have the stamina for such a process? Is that what they desire at this stage of their career?

United are at a critical juncture of their recent history. The memories of their former glories fade with every passing season of underachievement and mediocrity. At some point, Manchester United will become just another club. They cannot wait any longer to reverse the damage that has been done over the last 10 years.

Maybe one day a manager will take them back to the top of the English and European game, but the odds are already stacked against Manchester United’s next permanent manager, whoever that may be. Pochettino and Ten Hag might feel the allure of Old Trafford, but they would be smart to resist it.

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