Poch: Nobody in football can guarantee you are going to be here tomorrow

MAURICIO POCHETTINO insisted he cannot tell the future after he was installed among the favourites for the Manchester United job.

The Tottenham boss was considered by the Old Trafford club in 2016 – when he was pictured meeting Sir Alex Ferguson – before Jose Mourinho’s appointment.

And Pochettino, 46, signed a new, five-year deal in May just days before Zinedine Zidane’s shock resignation from Real Madrid. But United’s decision to delay making a full-time appointment until the summer will now ensure another six months of speculation surrounding the Argentine. He is a perfect fit for United with his high-energy football and nurturing of young players.

And Pochettino, who is set to go another transfer window without any spending in January while the new White Hart Lane is completed, certainly did not rule himself out of the running yesterday.

“It’s not in my hands how to manage all of these rumours,” he said. “I am not creating rumours, I am here. The players don’t care too much about what happened about the rumours.

‘‘We are focused and we are going to be focused on our job and then we are very professional.

“Like always in football, no one can guarantee nothing.

“We were talking a few weeks ago and I said if a chairman or president is going to support you, then it’s because you are going to be sacked the day after. That job is so tough because nobody in football can guarantee you are going to be here tomorrow.

“In football, I say today is white, tomorrow is black. For me, the most important thing is to be natural.

“What is going to happen in the summer? What is going to happen tomorrow? No one knows. The most important thing is to enjoy the journey. I’m so happy here.”

Pochettino spoke for 40 minutes, while carefully keeping all his options open. When speaking about dining with Ferguson, he gave an answer palatable to both Tottenham and Manchester United fans.

“He won his first title with Man United in his seventh year,” he said.

“It was massive inspiration for myself and a nice moment.”

CAN ONE OF THESE MEN TAKE OVER?