Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville reckons Erik ten Hag has the edge over Mauricio Pochettino when it comes to getting the manager’s job at Old Trafford this summer.
Following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal in November, PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino was originally the leading contender for the position, though it became apparent that taking him away from Paris mid-season was going to be difficult when he’s got ambitions to win the Champions League.
This also came at a time there were doubts over the Argentine’s future at PSG within French media, with speculation over his PSG future constant, but that is probably down to whether they can convince Zinedine Zidane to join them at the end of the season.
You’d have to agree that this makes hiring Ten Hag, a popular candidate among United fans, far more straightforward.
Neville says Pochettino and Ten Hag both fit the bill for the type of manager United are looking for in the long-term and explains why they won’t go down the short-term route again, like they did previously with Jose Mourinho.
“They’ve been there with Jose Mourinho,” Neville told Sky Sports, as quoted by The Mirror.
“They want to appoint either Pochettino or Ten Hag on a long-term project and they needed somebody [Rangnick] to get them to the end of the season.
“Manchester United need a longer-term approach to their manager, they always have had that. They’re not going to appoint a short-term manager again, they did that with Jose.
“They went against the grain with that and they’re not going to do that again. Right or wrongly, they’re just not going to do it.
“They’re going to appoint a younger, more up-and-coming manager like Ten Hag or Pochettino. Pochettino is not young and up-and-coming but he’s certainly established himself.
“He’s at Paris Saint-Germain but there’s a bit of a danger with him because obviously Paris Saint-Germain could keep him at the end of the season so they can’t put all their eggs in one basket.
“So I suspect they’re more favouring Ten Hag at this moment in time because they can get him.”
Good old Gary. He is mates with Fletcher so prob hearing a thing or two. Has come out with a bit of horse sxxx lately but hopefully right with Ten Hag. Not sure about long term as we thought that with some of the others since Fergie.