Man Utd: Mauricio Pochettino hints how much he would change at club in Rio Ferdinand chat | Football | Sport
Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino has hinted to Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand how he would change the Red Devils if he was to become manager in the summer. Current interim coach Ralf Rangnick is set to step down at the start of July, having been appointed in November following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The German has split opinion during his spell at the Theatre of Dreams.
Despite their embarrassing FA Cup exit to Middlesbrough in January, Rangnick has kept United in with a fighting chance of advancing in the Champions League knockout stages and is still within touching distance of the top four in the Premier League.
Yet he is set to move into a consultancy role at United at the end of the season, being tasked with changing the recruitment policy of the club for the future – which opens up the managerial vacancy at Old Trafford once again.
And with Pochettino having been heavily linked with the United job in the past, the former Tottenham manager has opened up to Ferdinand on just how he could change the club in order for them to succeed under his leadership.
“That I think is the most important thing to start to build what you want. After, you can change small things that make you feel that you are part of the history and philosophy and ideas that you want to decide.
“For me, the most important thing is to bring philosophy and tradition together when you arrive rather than to change everything and say ‘that is the main idea and if you don’t stick with this, it’s impossible to win’.”
Pochettino could well be in the dugout by the time the first game of the 2022/23 Premier League season begins.
United currently sit fifth in the top-flight, with their Champions League qualification dreams in danger of fading away after a spate of draws in 2022.
The Red Devils have won just four of their 10 league games since the turn of the year, with the most recent ending in a humiliating 4-1 loss at the hands of local rivals Manchester City.
And the Red Devils face Antonio Conte’s Tottenham side on Saturday in a must-win game as the race for the last Champions League spot heats up.
