Former England international Gary Lineker has expressed doubts about Mauricio Pochettino’s long-term future at Manchester United, saying he would be “surprised” if the Argentine remains in charge at Old Trafford beyond 18 months.
Pochettino has been handed a two-and-a-half-year contract to replace Michael Carrick as United manager, with the former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss expected to begin his tenure with an away fixture against Liverpool on Sunday, November 22.
The Argentine will officially take charge after completing his final two matches as head coach of the United States national team. He faces an immediate challenge of restoring confidence and improving United’s disappointing performances.
The Red Devils are currently 18th in the Premier League standings and have endured eight consecutive league matches without a victory, a poor run that started in late August.
While Lineker believes Pochettino could make a positive impact during his early months at the club, he fears the problems surrounding Manchester United could eventually undermine another manager.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker suggested that Pochettino might initially enjoy some success but could become frustrated with the club's working environment.
“I can see Pochettino going in there, and I think they’ll probably make a reasonable start and do okay for a while,” he said.
“For Pochettino, Manchester United is a big club, big by name. He’ll go there, then become disappointed by how things unfold. I’d be surprised if he’s still there in 18 months.”
The former striker also questioned the club's management structure, arguing that successive managers have been blamed for problems he believes originate from higher up at Old Trafford.
“Because, again and again, it’s rinse and repeat: the coach is always made the scapegoat, and you can see that. I think the real problems lie above the coach.
“These are all good coaches. Look at some of the names they’ve had over the past 10 years. How many is that—12 coaches since Alex Ferguson?
Lineker's comments reflect growing concerns about Manchester United's managerial instability, with Pochettino now facing the difficult task of rebuilding the club and delivering results in an environment that has proved challenging for several of his predecessors.
EPL: 'I'll be surprised' - Gary Lineker predicts months Pochettino will stay at Man United