Do Ten Hag and Pochettino have 'Man Utd DNA'?
Cameron Smith
- 27 Mar 2022 04:22 CDT
- 4 min read
The next Manchester United manager needs 'Man Utd DNA' according to the last Busby Babe.
Sammy McIlroy is the last of the Busby Babes, and he believes whoever comes through the door next at Old Trafford just needs to "instinctively [have] that understanding and connection with the club and what the club means to the fans."
Ralf Rangnick is the current Man Utd head coach, but he will move to a more senior role off the pitch this summer, making way for someone new to fill the space in the dugout.
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Rangnick replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer earlier this season, and agreed to take over the reigns on a short-term basis in order to gain a seat at the table as a consultant. The exact nature of Rangnick's role for next year is currently unknown.
However, he will be replaced as head coach, leaving the club with a big hole to fill.
Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag and current Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino are the two leading candidates, and it's believed that one of the pair will be taking over at Old Trafford.
Pochettino has been a target of Man Utd's since his days at Tottenham, while Ten Hag has recently appeared on their radar thanks to his impressive Ajax team.
While Ten Hag and Pochettino are the runaway leaders, the Manchester Evening News have reported that there is currently a five-man shortlist for the job, with Julen Lopetegui, Luis Enrique, and Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel joining the aforementioned pair.
However, it does seem as though it's a straight shootout between Ten Hag and Pochettino for the job. Ten Hag is reportedly looking for bigger things than Ajax, while Pochettino may be sacked by PSG following disappointing displays in Ligue 1, but more prominently their Champions League last-16 exit to Real Madrid.
'Man Utd DNA'
While both Ten Hag and Pochettino have shown themselves to be excellent tacticians, McIlroy believes more is needed of the next Man Utd manager.
"It’s hard to describe what is meant by Manchester United’s DNA," McIlroy told the Mirror. “I can only describe it as a feeling. It’s instinctively having that understanding and connection with the club and what the club means to the fans.
"It is true that a United manager doesn’t just have to win - the team has also got to play with a certain style, a swagger. I remember hearing Sir Matt [Busby] tell his players before a game ‘these fans have been working all week and they have paid their money to be entertained. Go out there and entertain them.’
"But it’s about understanding the history of the club, knowing about the plane crash at Munich and [George] Best, [Bobby] Charlton and [Denis] Law - and also the tradition United has always had of giving their own young players a chance. And it’s also knowing about the here and now. Sir Matt seemed to know everyone at the football club, from the ladies who washed the kit, to the groundsman, to the people who swept the stands. He knew them all by their first name.
"Sir Alex [Ferguson] is from the same mould. They wanted everyone to feel like they were important to Manchester United, that when the team won on a Saturday afternoon, they had all played their part. There are so many factors involved in what it means to be Manchester United. But when you know, you know. It’s the best feeling in football."
Do Ten Hag and Pochettino have 'Man Utd DNA'?
At the moment neither of them do. However, they both have experience of becoming cult-like heroes at clubs.
Ten Hag is adored by Ajax fans, while Pochettino garnered a similar reaction during his time at Tottenham.
It's hard to tell whether that would translate to Man Utd, but both could become fan favourites if they are picked for the role. However, they will need to learn the club, learn what makes it tick, and understand the importance to the fans. It's something that has been missing for the most part since Ferguson left.
