Premier League legend Alan Shearer has backed Mauricio Pochettino to restore Manchester United to their former glory, provided the club’s hierarchy gives him full control over squad decisions.
Reports on Thursday afternoon indicate that Pochettino’s appointment to replace Michael Carrick is currently being finalized. An official announcement is expected in the coming days, with the Argentine set to take charge ahead of next weekend’s high-stakes clash against Liverpool at Anfield.
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Pochettino faces a monumental rebuilding job at Old Trafford, inheriting a club enduring a prolonged decline despite cycling through a host of high-profile managers in recent years.
Speaking with Betfair, Shearer endorsed the former Tottenham and Chelsea boss as the ideal candidate to step into the dugout.
“Pochettino will bring excitement back to the club. He’d also bring experience because he’s managed in the Premier League. He knows what it’s about,” Shearer said. “He knows how it works and I think with his personality also, he’d bring something different to the club. So, when you put all those things into the pot, they’re getting a good guy.”
However, Shearer warned that Pochettino’s success hinges entirely on whether he is granted autonomy over transfers and squad exits—something previous managers have struggled to secure.
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“The best coaches in the world or some of the best coaches have been there, up-and-coming coaches have been there and have not been able to do what they want to do,” Shearer noted. “If he’s allowed to do things that he wants to do, and if he’s got control of who comes in and who goes out, who he can get out of the club, who he can get in the club, then yes, he can turn Man United around.
“But we always go back to the same point. There have been so many managers and coaches in there that it doesn’t take a genius to work out that the issue is not the coach at Man United.”
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