Jamie Redknapp called out Mauricio Pochettino's credentials when he was speaking on Sky Sports, in response to rumours of the former Spurs manager coming back to the Premier League and taking the reins at Manchester United.
Currently the manager at Paris Saint-Germain, Pochettino is one of the names being bandied about as Manchester United’s potential new boss, along with Ajax’s Erik Ten Hag.
Opinions of Potchettino as a manager are quite varied, with some viewing him as a brilliant manager who took Spurs as far as they could possibly have gone. On the other hand, a few see him as an underachiever who has yet to win a major trophy of note, even failing to win Ligue 1 last season with PSG.
Redknapp is clearly in the latter category following his comments after Manchester United’s draw with Leicester yesterday in the Premier League.
🗣 "Pochettino has been a serial underachiever, can he do at Man United? There's no belief that he can."
Jamie Redknapp outlines the candidates for the next manager at Manchester United pic.twitter.com/TmZulXOiov— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 2, 2022
They need to get the right manager in. Pochettino has been a serial underachiever, as much as I like him. Can he go and do it at Manchester United? There’s no real belief that he can.
Ten Hag’s done a great job at Ajax where you should really win the league, you’ve got the best players. So it’s not going to be easy, as much as it’s the manager getting them right it’s also the personnel.
Because I think you look at certain clubs and you go I’d love to be in that Liverpool dressing room and working with those players, I’d love to be working in City with the players there.
I look at that United dressing room I think that looks fractured. I think there’s a few poisonous characters that could cause problems.
United drew with Leicester yesterday with Fred equalising after Kelechi Iheanacho had put the visitors ahead. The disappointing result leaves United stranded in 6th place, level on points with Spurs but having played an extra game, and still in search of a new manager.
However, this does seem like a very harsh summary of Pochettino's managerial career from Redknapp. He turned Spurs into top four regulars during his time in London, even leading them to a Champions League final despite their relatively small budget compared to some of his competitors. While he has not excelled at PSG, that club is a very difficult one to manage, with the likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Thomas Tuchel also struggling there in recent seasons.
The former Liverpool midfielder's comments were certainly not that well received by many online.
Pochettino an ‘underachiever’ according to Redknapp.
What a prize plumb he really is. The slander Poch gets from people ‘in the football world’ is utterly frightening. The bloke was the biggest ‘overachiever’ in English football for 4 years ffs. https://t.co/BwnRampFh6— ᴅᴀᴠɪᴅ ᴇʟʟɪs • (@fullback03) April 2, 2022
Genuinely concerned about Jamie Redknapp. To describe Pochettino as a "serial underachiever", is tantamount to lunacy! Spending NOT. A. SINGLE. PENNY. he took Spurs to a Champions League Final, whilst also finishing top 4, ahead of teams who spent far, far more. 🤡 #StillBitter https://t.co/iJUT7G678G
— Armed Forces Spurs Official Supporters Club (@AF_Spurs_OSC) April 3, 2022
Pochettino took Spurs to a CL final & their three best PL finishes (2nd, 3rd x2) ever. All of which gulfs what Harry Redknapp achieved at the club 🤷♂️ https://t.co/XuHWJzfoyT
— Oliver Young-Myles (@OMyles90) April 2, 2022
Will never understand someone who says Pochettino has underachieved
- Consistent top 4 finisher at Spurs
- CL final with Spurs
- Domestic cup with PSG
- About to win a league title with PSG
Redknapp incredibly bitter https://t.co/vs8NgxQFgV— Echoes of Glory 🎙⚽️ (@_EchoesOfGlory) April 2, 2022
Jamie Redknapp just called Pochettino a serial underachiever and the tiny amount of credibility he had left has been immediately destroyed. The level of punditry in this country is truly appalling.
— Julian Betts (@BettsJulian) April 2, 2022
https://t.co/MrRwRtyM5Z pic.twitter.com/z13wudKUXc
— Jack Pitt-Brooke (@JackPittBrooke) April 2, 2022
Certainly a strange take.
While there is guarantee that Pochettino would be a success at Manchester United, suggesting he has actually underachieved in his career up to this point is absolutely bizarre.
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