Paul Scholes Says Mauricio Pochettino Should Leave Spurs for Manchester United

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has thrown his weight behind Tottenham Hotspur coach Mauricio Pochettino to succeed Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford.

Scholes' former team-mate, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has been named interim manager at the Theatre of Dreams, but the United midfield icon has said he believes the Spurs boss is the right candidate for the Red Devils next year.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, the former England international said the opportunity to manage United would be a huge motivator for the Argentinian to leave Spurs (h/t Metro).

Scholes said:

"Pochettino's the man. If he wants the job then I think it's his. He carries himself brilliantly with the media and with his team. He promotes young players and most importantly he wins a lot of football matches. I know people say he's got a great team at Tottenham. He has. But can he ever really win the league with Tottenham? I'm not sure he can. With United, he'll have the spending power, the money and he'll be capable of winning the league. I think if he wants the job then he's definitely the man."

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Mourinho was shown the exit door by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward on Tuesday after losing 3-1 against Liverpool in the Premier League.

Solskjaer was quickly installed, but his tenure is expected to be a temporary appointment as he is still employed by Norwegian Eliteserien side Molde.

Pochettino has risen from successfully managing Southampton in 2013-14 before moving to Spurs and making them a stalwart in the UEFA Champions League.

The 46-year-old is yet to win a trophy in his managerial career, but his style of football has seen him elevated to the top table of coaches plying their trade in Europe.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has said United will always be a bigger outfit than Spurs, and Pochettino should make the switch to the north-west.

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Writing a column in the Telegraph, Carragher said:

"If Mauricio Pochettino is offered the Manchester United job, he has to take it. That is a hard for Tottenham Hotspur supporters to accept. Sadly for them, it is inevitable that they are prey to a more powerful Premier League rival."

"Hearing some arguments against Pochettino moving to Manchester United, I cannot help but think a reality check is needed.  I do not write this to be disrespectful to Spurs. It goes without saying I am no United fan. I am obliged to assess as a neutral, trying to explain why – as the No. 1 target – it will be tough for Pochettino to reject Old Trafford."

Woodward has got three consecutive managerial appointments wrong, and the United supremo will be desperate to prove his football acumen to supporters.

Mourinho and Louis van Gaal both had emphatic track records before arriving at Old Trafford, but neither coach produced the exciting style of football United fans demand worldwide. David Moyes, who was appointed to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson, did not fare well. 

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Pochettino has consistently proved himself as an attacking coach at Espanyol, Southampton and Spurs. At United he would be given a transfer budget he could only dream of at his current club.

Woodward slammed the brakes on Mourinho's spending in Manchester, but the next United coach can expect to be given a financial war chest to make the Red Devils a major contender once again.