Paul Scholes says Mauricio Pochettino has ‘presence’ to manage Man Utd
But Scholes wonders if United may have missed out on the Argentine’s best years.
Paul Scholes believes Mauricio Pochettino is the right man to take over at Manchester United but is concerned they may have missed out on his best years.
Michael Carrick was sacked by United after winning just three of his 15 games in charge this season – their worst start to a domestic campaign since 1986.
Carrick took charge of training on Tuesday and Wednesday following the club’s dramatic come-from-behind 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday but was finally relieved of his duties on Thursday.
Manchester United are now looking to appoint former Tottenham and Chelsea boss Pochettino, who is currently head coach of the United States, to succeed Carrick.
Pochettino guided Tottenham to a Champions League final in 2019 and took over at Paris St-Germain where he won the league and cup, but former United midfielder Scholes thinks United may have left it too late to appoint the Argentine.
He told The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast: “I think he’s got the presence to manage a big football club like Manchester United. My only slight concern is they have come a little bit too late to the party.
“Mauricio Pochettino is a great manager. I just have that slight concern that we’re not getting his best years.
“He’s got a bit of a reputation of being a bridesmaid, not winning that many trophies. That possibly put Man Utd off a little bit in the past. They are in a totally different position now.”
Pochettino’s could be in charge for Manchester United’s first game following the international break when they travel to Anfield to face rivals Liverpool next Sunday.
Nicky Butt believes the 54-year-old will have to get some players out of the squad in the January transfer window.
He added: “He’s got to work out the ones he can trust, the ones he can’t and quickly and get them out in January, he can’t stick with that team until next season.
“Manchester United are that low down, they don’t even need to think about winning anything at the minute.”
Carrick led United to a third place last season having stepped in following Ruben Amorim’s January exit and was rewarded with a two-year deal.
But, Scholes believes he should never have got the job.
He said: “You’ve got to feel for Michael, Michael’s not stupid. He knows winning one game out your first 10 league games is just not going to cut it.
“Interim seemed to suit him. Michael never really had the body of work as a manager behind him to manage a club like Manchester United.”
Gary Neville also wishes Carrick had not been handed the full-time role in the summer.
He said on Sky Sports: “Sad that it’s come to this.
“I wish he hadn’t got the job at the end of the season. I think at that time, I’d pretty much said that I felt this could happen.
“I didn’t expect it to happen this quickly, but it is what it is. The position in the league is terrible. Inevitable that the decision had to be made.”