Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival at Manchester United has drawn comparisons with his time at Tottenham Hotspur, with former Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel expecting Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo to flourish under the new manager. Friedel pointed to Dele Alli’s development under Pochettino at Spurs as evidence of the Argentine’s ability to nurture young talent.
Pochettino is set to take charge at Old Trafford next week on a two-and-a-half-year contract following Michael Carrick’s dismissal. United currently sit 18th in the Premier League after an eight-match winless run, during which Rashford has failed to score or assist in all competitions. Friedel believes this slump could end with Pochettino’s arrival, who he says will focus on instilling a stronger work ethic and culture within the squad.
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Speaking to talkSPORT, Friedel said Pochettino tends to rely on younger players with potential rather than chasing established stars. “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 explained. He cited Alli’s progress at Tottenham as a blueprint, highlighting how the Argentine guided the then 18-year-old to 55 goals and 48 assists in 194 games. Alli earned consecutive PFA Young Player of the Year awards and helped Spurs finish second once, third twice, and reach their first Champions League final.
Friedel praised Pochettino’s approach to managing players, calling him “excellent” at making them feel wanted and better than they are while demanding hard work. “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.”
The focus also turns to how Pochettino will handle Bruno Fernandes, the club captain whose contract talks remain unresolved. Fernandes has reportedly rejected a second contract offer, and his current deal expires at the end of the season. Friedel suggested the new manager will want Fernandes’ talent but not at the cost of attitude or ego. “I think Mauricio’s not a fool. He’ll want the best players on the pitch, but he’ll want them fully committed,” Friedel said. “If they’re not he will work very quickly to get them out the door.”
Friedel added that Pochettino will likely try to work with Fernandes initially but will not hesitate to make changes if the player does not fit into the culture he builds at the club. “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 ahead of their matches against Haiti before moving to Manchester. His first game in charge will be a Premier League fixture against Liverpool on November 22, a daunting start for the new regime. Instilling a relentless work ethic and securing full commitment from the senior players will be essential to lifting United out of the relegation zone.
According to Yahoo Sports.
