Gary Neville: Manchester United must appoint Mauricio Pochettino
Manchester United legend Gary Neville has demanded his former club appoint Mauricio Pochettino as their next manager following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
The Portuguese's two-and-a-half year spell at Old Trafford has ended with United 19 points off Premier League leaders Liverpool and enduring their worst ever start to a Premier League campaign.
Mourinho becomes the third manager to be sacked by the club's hierarchy since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and it comes as no surprise after a season littered with player fall-outs, moans at United's recruitment and plenty of media press conference arguments.
The job of the next man will not just be to try and earn a now unlikely top four finish, but to rebuild a struggling club with crumbling structures.
In a confusing twist United have announced that assistant coach Michael Carrick will take caretaker charge for just 48 hours, before an external applicant will be appointed as caretaker manager for the rest of the season. Then a full-time appointment will be made to take the former Premier League Champions forward from the summer.
For Gary Neville, who made 400 appearances for United during their domination of the Premier League, believes Tottenham's Pochettino is the only man to fix the problems at the club.
"Mauricio Pochettino is the man for me and I've been saying that from last season. I've been impressed with him ever since he started managing in the Premier League," Neville told Sky Sports News.
"I don't just say that because of his success with Spurs, but because of his coaching beliefs. Look at how he gives youngster a chance, you look at his performance levels and style of play, you look at how he carries himself and comes across publicly and privately. For me, he just fits Manchester United perfectly.
"United have tried managers that have won European Cups; they've tried managers that have won multiple leagues; they've even tired managers who have had a strong grounding in the Premier League.
"What they need now is a manager who fits the three key principles of Manchester United. They are the promotion of youth, playing entertaining football, and winning football matches.
"People say Pochettino has not won a trophy, but he's been doing it at Spurs with little financial spend, so I'm not sure what more he could have done and he's done an incredible job there.
"He is the outstanding candidate for this job. He fits the profile of what Manchester United need."
Whoever United appoint, Neville is clear that United's fall from grace runs much deeper than just who coaches the team.
CEO Ed Woodward has received plenty of criticism from fans and pundits for United's decisions in the player recruitment market, something Mourinho questioned himself ahead of the new season.
Neville himself believes a root and branch change is needed at Old Trafford and the new manager needs to be given full control over the running of the playing side of the club.
"This is not just the manager's fault, it's a club problem. There have been seven years of bad decisions and poor recruitment.
"I have no idea who is in charge at the club when it comes to recruitment and telling the manager who to sign or not, as I don't see anyone there with the qualifications to do that. So there is a problem there.
"The club's higher management team have had three chances to appoint a manager and get it right and looks like they will now have a fourth opportunity to get it right.
"The club need to reset. This is not just a moment to sack Mourinho and just appoint again quickly. This is a time to stop, take stock, reset and make sure what they do next is the right move for the long term.
"It's not about who wants to come and who is available quickly, it is about who is the best man for the job long term to put the right football structures in place around them.
"Whoever comes in next needs to set their own ground rules as to how the systems at the club will work, and what say and power they will have with requirement, coaching structures, etc, as a lot needs sorting at the club, not just who the manager is."
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Odds correct as of 1800 BST on 06/10/18
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