Sir Alex Ferguson's assessment on Mauricio Pochettino speaks volumes now that he is Chelsea manager.
Mauricio Pochettino is preparing to take over as Chelsea manager next season, but if Sir Alex Ferguson had his way, the Argentine would be in charge of Manchester United.
Chelsea had one of the worst seasons in their modern history past season, but hopes are strong that they can rebound in style next season.
After going through three managers last season, the Blues will be hopeful that new manager Mauricio Pochettino will provide some stability and return the club to its previous glory. This is his first return to English football after being fired by Chelsea's London rivals Tottenham in November 2019.
Chelsea fans are optimistic, and according to former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, they have every reason to be. The Red Devils legend is a big fan of Pochettino and regards him highly.
He regarded him so highly that he wanted the Argentine to succeed Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford in 2018 rather than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. United was in severe turmoil at the time, so the Norwegian was called in to stabilize the ship temporarily.
However, after exceeding expectations in his interim capacity, Solskjaer persuaded then-vice-chairman Ed Woodward to hire him as United's permanent manager.
While Ferguson and Solskjaer remain in contact and have a great connection, it appears the Scot was not persuaded his former teammate was the appropriate guy to take over the Old Trafford hot seat beyond his interim tenure.
Pochettino, the man he really wanted, was still working for Spurs at the time. Ferguson considered the Argentine to be among the top and believed United should have made it their mission to lure him away from north London.
In March 2019, Solskjaer was named full-time manager of Manchester United. Pochettino was fired from Spurs eight months later and would have been available to take over in Manchester.
The state of play never seemed to line exactly, as by the time Solskjaer was fired as United manager in late 2021, Pochettino was in control of Paris Saint-Germain.
Pochettino officially takes over as Chelsea manager on July 1. He has signed a two-year contract at Stamford Bridge, which might be extended by another year if the club's top brass want to keep him.
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