What Mauricio Pochettino has Already Said About Taking the England Job

Like fellow former Chelsea manager Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino is both available for work and touted as a possible candidate for the vacant England manager job. The Argentine has a successful track record developing English players, and seemed to be doing exactly that at Chelsea last season, getting the very best out of Cole Palmer, before he left Stamford Bridge in May due to what was described publicly at least as mutual consent. Pochettino’s track record of working in England goes back far further than Chelsea.

Before being a fan favourite at White Hart Lane, putting his trust in the likes of Dele Alli, who also excelled for England, particularly in the 2018 World Cup, he also took charge at Southampton more than 10 years ago, putting his faith in Luke Shaw, then aged 18, which saw the teenage left back selected in the 2013/14 Premier League team of the season and being selected in England’s sqaud for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil. Put simply, Pochettino has a wealth of experience working in England and developing talented youngsters, but what of his thoughts on being England manager?

Pochettino’s Experience in the English Game

The Standard reported that Pochettino is indeed interested in the job. There’s a further strong link to the position in that the former Spurs boss has a very good relationship with the Football Association’s John McDermott, who he worked with while at Tottenham. He has gone on the record about his stance on England before. Talking to the Athletic two years ago, he said:

He has been far more explicit in the more distant past about the England role. In Guillem Balague’s book, A Brave New World, which was serialised in the Daily Mail, Pochettino said:

This was in 2017. The reality is Pochettino is very much at home in England and with the English mentality, as he explained further in the book:

“I remember [while at Southampton] once telling Adam Lallana how taken aback I was when I first witnessed the mentality of English players up-close — their enthusiasm in training, the sparks that fly in 50-50 challenges. The English are brave, honest and aggressive, and the good ones want to add to their game.”

The Argentine Sees England as Home

Has been manager for more than 400 games for Southampton, Spurs and Chelsea

The Argentine isn’t some mercenary out for one last big pay day, he loves life in England. Talking while still in charge at Chelsea, he described moving to England as one of the best decisions of his life. Talking about how he enjoys this great country, for Pochettino, England is like home. It’s been very clear over the years how English players have felt about the manager. Chelsea players, particularly Conor Gallagher, were extremely disappointed when he left Chelsea, and this is not because he is a soft touch.

He had no problem telling Harry Kane straight that he wasn’t doing enough to get into the first team when he first arrived as boss at White Hart Lane. Perhaps one of his biggest challenges was the language, while still at Southampton he used an interpreter, and as reported in the Daily Mail, his frustration at trying to learn English nearly drove him mad, but his passion to help and develop players shines through. There is something else Pochettino has that is vital when managing anyone, especially England and that is belief. Pochettino has it and has given it to England greats, like Harry Kane, as well as Euro 2024 final scorer Cole Palmer. He has already spoken of his love of the country which, combined with his track record, would make Pochettino a shrewd appointment.

Stats via Transfermarkt.