Mauricio Pochettino has been officially confirmed as the new Manchester United manager, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal at Old Trafford. The Argentine takes over from Michael Carrick, who was sacked on Thursday after the club recorded their worst start in four decades with just one win in 10 games.
Pochettino moves to Manchester United from the US men's national team, having previously managed Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton. Throughout his transition from footballer to one of the world's most sought-after managers, his wife, Karina Grippaldi, has remained a constant presence.
A Relationship That Began in 1991
The couple met in 1991 when Pochettino was a young footballer in Argentina and both were still teenagers. Despite his dedication to his career at Newell's Old Boys, Pochettino developed a strong relationship with Karina. They dated for three years before marrying in 1994 in a small, intimate ceremony in Argentina.
Karina studied Pharmacy at the National University in Argentina and is reported to have worked as a pharmacist after completing her degree. While she has been careful to stay out of the public eye, she has not held back when critiquing her husband's performance, particularly in press conferences.
Brutal Press Conference Feedback
Pochettino has admitted that his wife's reviews can be absolutely brutal. He told Football London: "It's more than 25 years now she's been next to me, and in the last few years, the one thing that she criticizes most is my press conferences."
He added: "Because she is very focused, 'why you say that', 'you need to say to, not for', 'that is why, not because '. She is fixing me after every press conference and criticises me a lot. But it is part of it to improve, no?" The new Manchester United manager says this feedback is vital to improving how he communicates with both his team and the press.
Family Ties to Football
The couple share two children, Sebastiano and Maurizio. Sebastiano has followed his father into football as a fitness coach, with roles at top clubs including Paris Saint-Germain. Maurizio also pursued the game, earning places at the academies of Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur while Pochettino was manager.
Maurizio secured an extension to his contract at Spurs even after his father had left, before joining Watford on a free transfer and making his senior professional debut against Brentford. He is still playing in Spain, having featured for Gimnàstic de Tarragona and Ibiza Islas Pitiusas, and this year is signed to Inter Club d'Escaldes in Andorra.
