MANCHESTER, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Manchester United turned on Friday to Mauricio Pochettino to haul them out of the Premier League relegation zone, entrusting one of football’s most storied clubs to a manager with a big reputation but precious few trophies to show for it.
The club of George Best and Bobby Charlton, of Eric Cantona and David Beckham, have gone without a league title since 2013. The 20-times English champions have won once in 10 league games and sit 18th, their lowest position at this
stage of a top-flight season since 1986-87.
Pochettino joins on November 18 after a spell as United States coach, and will lead the USA in their upcoming quarter-final legs against Haiti in the CONCACAF Nations League before joining United.
The 54-year-old, who has reportedly signed a contract until 2029, inherits a team whose glorious past stands in brutal contrast to its present plight, enduring their worst start to a season in four decades. They have won just three of their 15 matches in all competitions and are one point above bottom side Crystal Palace.
A GLAMOUR CLUB'S GAMBLE
For decades, United stood as English football's undisputed glamour club, embodying prestige, success and global appeal while boasting a galaxy of superstars.
Ten years after the 1958 Munich air disaster had killed eight Manchester United players as the team flew home from a European Cup tie in Belgrade, crash survivor Charlton and mercurial Northern Irish winger and sixties icon Best scored at Wembley as United beat Benfica to become the first English club to lift the trophy. That night helped win United fans around the world.
But their recent struggles have left United searching for stability rather than stardom and Pochettino's appointment represents a calculated gamble on a coach whose teams have often impressed without consistently delivering major trophies.
United's squad has been assembled at considerable expense but lacks confidence and identity, with supporters booing the players off the pitch after their recent defeat at the hands of Bournemouth.
He will also have to contend with the scrutiny that comes with one of the most high-profile hot seats in world football, with his first match in charge an acid test against rivals Liverpool at Anfield on November 22.
Pochettino has a track record of nurturing young talent, building competitive sides and instilling a distinct footballing identity.
After his first managerial stint at Espanyol, he arrived on England's shores to build his reputation at Southampton by shaping an energetic and progressive team before enjoying his greatest success at Tottenham Hotspur.
Pochettino transformed the London club into regular contenders for Champions League qualification and even led them to the 2019 final, but subsequent spells at Paris St Germain and Chelsea produced mixed results.
Although he won the Ligue 1 title with PSG, he failed to deliver the European success the ambitious, cash-rich club craved while his brief stint at Chelsea also ended without a major trophy.
Such a record presents a contrast with the Old Trafford club's history and ambitions.
Under Alex Ferguson, the club won 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns, building a reputation for attracting elite players and competing consistently for the biggest honours.
But since Ferguson's retirement, United have struggled to find a manager capable of restoring that level of sustained success.
Repeated managerial changes have done little to resolve deeper structural and sporting issues, with Carrick the latest casualty.
Carrick's departure followed a 4-4 home draw with Aston Villa, two weeks after a humiliating 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth that left supporters questioning the club's direction.
United seem to have answered that immediate question, but the answer comes at a price. British media reported United would have to pay compensation of $10 million to release Pochettino from his US Soccer contract, which had been due to run until the 2030 World Cup.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair and Suramya Kaushik in Bengaluru; writing by Rohith Nair, Editing by Christian Radnedge and Toby Davis)
