Brad Friedel has backed Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo to thrive under Mauricio Pochettino, the new Manchester United manager set to take charge next week. The former Premier League goalkeeper cited Pochettino’s past success with Dele Alli at Tottenham Hotspur as evidence of the Argentine’s ability to develop young talent.
Pochettino arrives at Old Trafford on a two-and-a-half-year contract after Michael Carrick’s dismissal on Thursday, tasked with reversing a dire run that has left United 18th in the Premier League following an eight-match winless streak. Rashford, one of the club’s leading forwards, has failed to score or assist in eight appearances across all competitions this season.
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Speaking on talkSPORT with Sam Matterface, Gabby Agbonlahor, and Scott Minto, Friedel explained why he expects Rashford and Mainoo to flourish under Pochettino. “I think as opposed to trying to get a senior player on board, I think he'll put his arm around some of the younger players that have incredible potential,” Friedel said. “Somebody like Marcus Rashford could really thrive under him if that's one of the players that Mauricio pinpoints, Mainoo as well, players like that.”
Friedel referenced Pochettino’s work with Dele Alli as a blueprint. The Argentine signed Alli at 18 in 2015 and helped him deliver 55 goals and 48 assists in 194 games for Spurs. Under Pochettino, Alli earned consecutive PFA Young Player of the Year awards in 2015-16 and 2016-17, while Spurs finished second once, third twice, and reached their first Champions League final.
“He's very good at making players that he wants in his system, in his culture at the club, making them feel a million bucks,” Friedel added. “He's excellent at that and his whole staff is very good at that, being compassionate and making you feel wanted, making you feel possibly better than you are while making sure that you're working hard.”
United’s recent struggles have included being outworked on the pitch, something Friedel says Pochettino will not tolerate. “We've watched many Manchester United games and some of the games we've actually watched and we've come away saying, 'They're just getting outworked at times,' you can't have that. That's one part of the game he won't tolerate at all and it really has no meaning to him what your name is on the back of the shirt at all.”
Attention also focuses on how Pochettino will handle club captain Bruno Fernandes, whose contract situation remains unresolved. Fernandes has rejected a second new contract offer, with his current deal expiring at the end of the season. Friedel said the new manager will want the best players fully committed. “I think he'll want his talent at the football club, but he won't tolerate it if he does have an ego,” Friedel said. “I don't know Bruno personally at all. I think Mauricio's not a fool. He'll want the best players on the pitch, but he'll want them fully committed.”
“If they're not he will work very quickly to get them out the door. I would imagine he will try to work with him at first and if he doesn't think he's going to fit then I don't think it'll be an issue for him to change him. He is a top quality player, we all know that. Mauricio builds a culture at the club. If he's not going to buy into that then you'll be out the door.”
Pochettino will finish his commitments with the United States national team after their upcoming fixtures against Haiti before moving to Manchester. His first match as United manager will be a Premier League showdown against Liverpool on November 22. Establishing discipline and extracting full effort from the squad will be central to his challenge as United seek to climb out of the relegation zone.
According to Yahoo Sports.
