Mauricio Pochettino is finally set to take charge of Manchester United at Old Trafford, a move that has long seemed destined to become reality. The appointment brings an end to the club's search for a new head coach, with club chiefs turning to a figure they rejected in both 2019 and 2022.
The decision reflects a recurring pattern in the club's recent history. Rather than appointing a club legend, United have opted for a head coach who might have been hired earlier, only to be passed over twice when his stock was higher than it is now.
A Right Call This Time?
Going for Pochettino looks like the right call this time, according to observers. He is considered the best of the available candidates, though that says more about the other contenders than it does about the 54-year-old Argentine. The alternatives included someone burnt out by an up-and-down spell at Newcastle and a head coach who failed with Bayern Munich and Germany, meaning Pochettino did not have to stand out to convince Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox that he might be the right man.
It is too early to say Pochettino's best days are behind him. He entered management young and should have plenty of road ahead. He might be a better head coach for the varied experiences he has had.
World Cup Revival and Club Hiatus
His reputation rose again this summer when his USA team shone at a home World Cup, only for Donald Trump's interference to provide added inspiration to a fired-up Belgium side. Pochettino had more access to his USA players than any other head coach in the lead-up to the tournament, and therefore more time to gel them together, taking advantage over other, less well-prepared nations.
Yet he has not worked in the club game for two-and-a-half seasons. His zenith was a while ago, with some arguing he peaked in 2018/19, when he dragged Tottenham to the Champions League final, and has been on the decline since. That spell with Spurs is where he made his name, and the club has never been the same since, which is why supporters have hankered after his return at various points in the last seven years.
Lessons from PSG and Chelsea
For Pochettino, taking the Paris Saint-Germain job in January 2021, after 14 months out of work, was a mistake. His high-intensity approach was never the right fit for a squad that was at its most disruptive and lacked players willing to make the sacrifices required to make it work.
His time in charge at Chelsea also ended after one season, and once again it was probably a mistake to take the job, even if there was a sense he was starting to get it to click at the end of his tenure. After those bruising experiences, taking the USA job was a change of pace and a chance to take stock, and he did look re-energised during the World Cup. At the highest level in the club game, he has been in charge of a club for just two-and-a-half years since his Tottenham sacking, which was seven years ago next week.
Third Time Lucky?
Perhaps the break will have done him good, and the United job has always looked a better fit for him than PSG or Chelsea. He missed out to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2019 and Erik ten Hag in 2022, but now looks like making it third time lucky.
Even during the World Cup, he joked with long-term assistant Jesus Perez about the No.2's affection for Manchester. "One day, your dream comes true!" Pochettino told Perez. "You go to Manchester United!" Now it looks like they will arrive together.
Pochettino touched on his previous flirtations with the club in an interview with FourFourTwo ahead of the World Cup. "United have always shown interest, but the ideal scenario to manage there has never quite materialised," he said. Now it is all coming together, but the question is whether the phrase better late than never can hold true this time.
