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
He has good relations with the Football Association
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:
“Of course, my relationship with England has always been very good. We have a very good relationship with the academies, trying to develop young players for the national team. I feel so comfortable here. You never know what happens. I am open to everything.”
