How Ferguson-inspired Pochettino can succeed where Carrick failed at Man Utd

When Mauricio Pochettino was asked the three Premier League managers he would have loved to have played for, he was unequivocal. "Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Alex Ferguson," replied Pochettino, who is set to be the next manager of Manchester United . In 2023, the Argentine - then at Chelsea , and dressed in full Blues training gear - was being interviewed by Sky Sports.

Still he felt a need to express his adoration for Ferguson. Six years prior to that interview, while managing Tottenham , he had shared lunch with the legendary former United manager. "And when you can share two hours with a person who was the greatest manager in the history of football, you can only enjoy." Hiring United managers has been complicated since Ferguson's departure in 2013, and one of the most prominent complications has been a back-and-forth around the club's DNA.

For some, winning by any means necessary should take precedence, while others believe the style of play and cultural heritage of United's most successful period is vital to the club's identity.