UNITED V SPURS Poch could take on Red reins one day
THIS afternoon’s Wembley clash could be a battle of United managers present and future.
Mauricio Pochettino is considered by some within the Old Trafford hierarchy as an ideal successor to Jose Mourinno.
A modern breed of manager, whose style and ability to harness youth fits perfectly with United’s ethos dating back to Sir Matt Busby.
Securing the Argentine’s services is not an immediate concern. Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward is fully committed to project Mourinho, having handed him a one-year extension to his contract in January and promising the Portuguese the finances to overhaul his squad this summer.
Mourinho wants to turn United into his team. A squad assembled with a consistency of thought, designed to win his way.
Mourinho has already undergone a significant overhaul, shipping out high profile players like Wayne Rooney and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
But United’s ascent to second in the Premier League has still been done with the excess baggage of players who don’t figure in his long-term plans.
His determination to focus largely on players with a height of six feetplus in his first two summer windows has also been notable.
The youthful promise of Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard might not reach their potential until after Mourinho departs.
They could make for a bountiful inheritance for his eventual successor – Pochettino or another. IT took Nemanja Matic around half-an-hour to earn a chant on his maiden United appearance in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. Although it was a familiar one. “Nemanja, whoooah, “Nemanja, whoooah, “He comes from Serbia.” Matic’s compatriot Vidic received that ditty more than 10 years ago and it is one of the most enduring United songs.
The 29-year-old is one of a handful of untouchables in Jose Mourinho’s squad, a point reemphasised with his rest at Bournemouth. Matic was the only outfielder who had started every Premier League fixture until United visited the Vitality Stadium.
He is a ‘Jose Mourinho player,’ in the words of Mourinho. United agreed personal terms with Matic as early as May but had to wait until July 31 to confirm his move. He slotted seamlessly into the midfield against Sampdoria in the Irish capital two days later.
Matic’s importance in that area is likely to increase as Michael Carrick winds down his playing career and Marouane Fellaini runs down his contract. Mourinho wants to make at least one midfield addition in the summer, preferably two. Matic is understanding of his manager’s transfer strategy and the two-time Premier League champion agrees United require reinforcements.
“Not yet,” Matic says when he is asked if there are parallels with this Mourinho squad and his 2015 Chelsea champions.
“We need more, to have more experience in different kinds of situations during the game.
“We drop many points when we shouldn’t and this comes with experience. For example, we drop points at Leicester in the last second, we lost at Huddersfield, Newcastle – it’s always difficult. It’s not the first time that I lost there. We have chances and if we score we will win or draw.
“In these kinds of games we have to improve, if we want to win the title, in these kinds of games if you win almost every game you are champions.”
Matic has conducted this interview ahead of the West Brom defeat but his words are prescient. In the Bournemouth press room, Mourinho echoes his midfielder by citing the defeats at Huddersfield and Newcastle among the fixtures that are endemic of United’s ‘inconsistency.’
Matic oozes the mentality Mourinho believes is not widespread in the current United squad.
“It’s difficult to say if it’s enough,” he says of the FA Cup. “I’m sure it is not but to finish second in the league is not bad. You have six teams who want to win the title, in the pre-season there are six teams preparing to win the title, they prepare the team, they buy players, and it’s not bad but we always want more and we try to be first.
“We improve step-by-step. Yesterday I saw that United last season had 69 points, so this season already we have 74, still four games to play, the team is improving,”
Matic’s motivation behind returning to Chelsea was primarily the Mourinho factor. He moved to London in 2009 and was loaned to Chelsea’s Dutch feeder club Vitesse Arnhem.
He returned in January 2014 for a snip at £21m. Matic lifted three trophies in three-and-ahalf years in West London but does not hesitate when it is suggested expectation is greater at United.
“Because of the history yes,” he says. “But Chelsea in the last 10 to 15 years also everyone expects them to win. But we have to say that United have more history, they have won more titles and everything but at Chelsea you are also under pressure now and it is not easy.
“When I came here I wanted to show my qualities, I wanted to bring something to the team