Guardiola talks up ‘excellent’ Pochettino
Pep Guardiola believes Mauricio Pochettino can be considered an elite manager without major trophy triumphs to his name.
Guardiolacomesupagainst the former Tottenham boss as Manchester City host the Argentinian’s Paris St Germain side in the Champions League tonight. Pochettino has been linked with the new managerial vacancy at Manchester United but his only silverware as a boss came in the Coupe de France last season.
Guardiola said: “You can be a top manager and not win titles. The managers that have the chance to win the titles are at top, top clubs with good investments and exceptional players. Otherwise, for a manager, it is impossible to win.
“That doesn’t mean the managers in the Championship or not in the top six of the Premier League cannot be excellent managers in tactics, communication, leading. It’s not necessary to win titles.”
Pochettino, 49, did not win a trophy in his five years at Spurs and he missed out on both Ligue 1 and the Champions League after taking over at PSG in January.
He could change that this season with his side 11 points clear in the French title race and Guardiola feels he is a better manager than in the past. Hesaid:“I’msurethemanagers get better. Every season we go through you have a lot of learnings and I’m pretty sure he’s an excellent manager.”
Pochettino has a good record against Guardiola having been the first manager to beat his City side in 2016 and edged them out in the Champions League quarter-finals of 2019. PSG then beat City 2-0 at the Parc des Princes in September, although that scoreline was generally considered
to flatter the hosts.