Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol questions Manchester United’s treatment of Michael Carrick, the influence of the Glazers and Ratcliffe, and whether the club’s latest managerial pursuit exposes deeper problems at Old Trafford Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol has questioned Manchester United’s pursuit of Mauricio Pochettino, suggesting there are better options available. United have struck an agreement with the US National team to replace Carrick with Mauricio Pochettino, Solhekol believes Pochettino wouldn’t be the top target for any other top clubs. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player “I think he’s a very good manager, but would he be in the frame to get the Liverpool job if that was available? “Would he be in the frame to get the Arsenal job if that was available?
Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid, would they be looking at Mauricio Pochettino? “This is somebody who I don’t think got the Spurs job the last time it was available. “I think short term, it would be a good appointment. The players will definitely respond to having somebody like Pochettino in charge and having him calling the shots.
But long term, I hope Mauricio knows what he’s letting himself in for if he does become the next United manager. “Look, if you’re looking for somebody with a proven track record in English football who’s available, Eddie Howe’s got a better CV. Howe’s won a domestic trophy in English football, with Newcastle United. Antonio Conte has won the title in his first season at Chelsea.
“So there are people out there who have a better track record than Pochettino. “Mauricio is a very good manager. He did a good job at Southampton. I think they finished eighth.
He did a good job at Spurs. They came close to winning the title. They got to the Champions League final. But in five seasons at Spurs, he didn’t win anything.
“He went to PSG. He had Neymar, Mbappe and Messi. I think he was appointed in January. They finished second.
It’s the only time in the last nine years that they haven’t won the title. The following season, they did win the title. I think they won the French Cup under him as well. But he was sacked by PSG.
“He went to Chelsea, another very political club. How long did he last at Chelsea? He lasted one season. They finished sixth.
They won their last five games of the season. Some of the fans wanted him to stay. I think one of the owners wanted him to stay. Another owner didn’t want him to stay.
He lasted one season. “Then he went to the USA. And he’s done a pretty good job. He hasn’t set the world on fire.
I’ve watched some of the USA games at the World Cup. They were the home nation. There was a feel-good factor around the side. But they were comprehensively outplayed by Belgium in the Round of 16.
“So if you look at his CV, you would say Mauricio Pochettino is a very, very good manager. But I think under normal circumstances, he would not now be getting one of the top jobs at the other biggest clubs in the world.” Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player “Since Sir Alex Ferguson left Manchester United, if United were to fire Carrick and hire Mauricio Pochettino, they will have spent more than £100m hiring and firing managers. “And if they get Mauricio Pochettino, everyone’s reporting that they’ll have to pay $10m to get him. Couldn’t they have had him for nothing in the summer?
In July, his contract with the USA ran out. He was available then. “United by then, I think, had already appointed Michael Carrick. But surely they would have known that he was going to become available?
“I’m just intrigued to know who at Manchester United is really pushing for Pochettino to get the job.” “I don’t think this looks good for Manchester United at all. Most people in football will think this is a pretty shameful way to treat Michael Carrick, an incredible player for the club. Somebody who is Manchester United through and through. “Why are you letting Michael Carrick suffer in public?
What’s the point of a chief executive and director of football flying to Monaco to rubber-stamp the sacking of Carrick when it is an open secret in football now that Carrick is leaving and he is going to be replaced by Pochettino? “I know this was a pre-arranged meeting about more than just Carrick, but it’s obvious this makes United look bad.” Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player “Well, who’s running the club? Who’s making these decisions? There’s a chief executive (Omar Berrada), there’s a director of football (Jason Wilcox).
“A lot of United fans don’t want them to be at the club. They think the chief executive doesn’t have enough experience as a chief executive, no experience, before he got the Manchester United job. They think the director of football doesn’t have enough experience to be the director of football at a club as big as Manchester United. “Then you’ve got INEOS and Jim Ratcliffe, who own around 30 per cent of the club, who are in charge of football operations.
But everything has to be signed off by the Glazer family as well. “Will it be a unanimous decision to part ways with Carrick if they finally do decide that he is going to be sacked? Will it be a unanimous decision that they get Mauricio Pochettino? “I’m just intrigued to know who at Manchester United is really pushing for Pochettino to get the job.
Is it the Glazer family? Is it Ratcliffe and Ineos? Is it Berrada and Wilcox? Do the Glazers see Mauricio Pochettino as the man to turn around United’s fortunes?” Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player “Despite the fact that Jim Ratcliffe is in charge of football operations, the Glazer family own more shares than he does.
“So ultimately, if the club belongs to anybody, it still belongs to the Glazer family. And it’s only natural that they would want a say in who is going to be the manager. “Because from the US, they’re watching this all unfold. They’re seeing somebody who they sold 30 per cent of the club to, who basically said I want to take control of football operations.
I can do a better job than the Glazers. “They are watching him do a worse job than they were doing on the pitch. Because if they do fire Carrick and appoint Mauricio Pochettino, Pochettino will be the fourth manager they have had in three seasons. And that is under Jim Ratcliffe.
“And when Jim Ratcliffe came in, he said, one of the big problems at United has been that we’ve been hiring and firing too many managers. And it’s not the manager’s fault. It is something to do with the structure at the club. “And that is something that he was going to sort out.
Obviously, looking from the outside in, he hasn’t done that so far.” Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m! Enter for free.
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