Pochettino's Manchester United Plan

Pochettino's arrival

Mauricio Pochettino will manage Manchester United starting 18 November, replacing Michael Carrick with a contract until June 2029.

Alderweireld's view

Toby Alderweireld says Pochettino has a no-nonsense approach where team success comes before individual players.

“He is very approachable but you need to follow his plan. If you don't follow his plan, you go on the side and you're not coming back any more.”

Team focus

Pochettino demands players prioritize team performance over personal goals, with immediate fitness expectations.

“You need to think about team, team, team. If you're thinking about yourself, you're gone.”

Fitness priority

Pochettino's pre-season is described as brutal, with a focus on high-intensity running and fitness for the team.

“The basic is to be fit. Every manager wants a good pre-season and time to give the players their ideas and the fitness.”

Champions League example

Pochettino led Tottenham to a Champions League final after a 3-0 deficit against Ajax with a physical comeback.

“In the Champions League semi-final, we were 3-0 down [against Ajax] and he didn't have a tactical half-time talk.”

Team expectations

Pochettino will require players to follow his plan strictly, with no tolerance for those who don't meet fitness standards.

“He's straightforward, has his own ideas and maybe you agree with them or don't, that's up to you. But you need to follow him and I think that's something Manchester United need - a big character, everyone in the same direction, following the plan and if not, no problem, you can go.”