Wayne Rooney was unequivocal when asked who he felt should be Manchester United's next permanent boss.
Ajax boss Erik ten Hag is the current favourite, but for United's record goalscorer Rooney, Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino is the ideal fit. "Pochettino's done it in the Premier League, he knows the Premier League,” said Rooney on Sky's Monday Night Football. "At Tottenham he brought a lot of young players through, at Southampton as well he brought a lot of young players through.
“So if I'm choosing from one of them two, that's who I'd choose, I'd go for Pochettino and give him time. If you give him time I think he'll do well. Pochettino, in my opinion, is a top manager. He knows how to work with top class players but also with young players. They need to get that blend right because they can't afford to fail again."
Rooney is right: United cannot afford to fail again with the appointment of their fifth permanent boss of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. After failing with David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United must get the next choice right, which is why there is such huge pressure and expectation surrounding the identity of the new manager.
Both Ten Hag and Pochettino are hugely attractive options for United, which is what makes the choice between them so difficult. Both place a huge emphasis on developing young players, which is a key tenet at United, and both have a commitment to attacking football, in keeping with the rich heritage at Old Trafford, stretching right back to the Busby Babes.
Compensation for both will not be an issue, with Ten Hag having a £1.68million release clause and Pochettino's exit unlikely to cost much more than £4m, although if, as expected, he is sacked by PSG next month, he would be available for nothing if United want him and are prepared to wait until then.
Like Ten Hag, Pochettino is understood to have impressed in his interview with football director John Murtough and technical director Darren Fletcher, outlining his vision for United, what it will take to rebuild the squad and his strategy for taking the club back to the top.
If appointed, there would be few surprises regarding Pochettino's coaching staff, the 50-year-old having worked with first-team coach Miguel D'Agostino, performance coach Jesus Pérez and goalkeeping coach Toni Jimenez at Espanyol, Southampton and Tottenham.
One bonus of appointing Pochettino is his ability to potentially convince Harry Kane to leave Spurs and reunite with him at United. With Edinson Cavani leaving this summer and Cristiano Ronaldo's future uncertain, a new striker to lead the line is a priority for United.
Although Kane would cost United upwards of £140m, recruiting Pochettino would be a huge plus to facilitating that deal, although in terms of the England captain's future, much depends on which side is able to secure fourth spot and can offer Champions League football next season. For now, the United board, led by newly-appointed chief executive Richard Arnold, must decide between Ten Hag and Pochettino.
After four false starts, which has seen them go nearly a decade without the title, this is arguably the most important managerial appointment since Ferguson, 36 years ago. Get it wrong and United will face further years in the wilderness. Get it right and they can start looking to the future with fresh optimism and start training their sights on rivals Manchester City and Liverpool.
