Mauricio Pochettino has revealed he would be ‘open’ to managing England in the future.
Pochettino has been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season but previously spent nearly seven years living and working in England with Southampton and Tottenham.
The Argentine has also been heavily touted for the Manchester United job at various points.
Pochettino maintained a good relationship with the England set-up during his time as a club manager in the Premier League, with Southampton and Spurs often sending players to the national team.
“Of course, my relationship with England has always been very good,” he told The Athletic.
“We have a very good relationship with the academies, trying to develop young players for the national team. I feel very comfortable here. You never know what happens. I’m open to everything.”
Discussing England’s chances in Qatar, he said, “Their mentality, they are so brave, they are so aggressive, they try to provoke and dominate the opposition.
“They don’t care about the team that’s in front. [of them]. They try to get their work done. I like how they approach the game, and they have great players.
Harry Simeo hosts Jack Gallagher and Toby Cudworth to look back on Germany ’06 as part of ‘Our World Cup’ series. We take a trip down memory lane – join us!
Current England boss Gareth Southgate has a contract until after Euro 2024. But his team have struggled this year and while he has vowed to at least see out his current contract, he admits his job could be on the line if the World Cup comes around. A disappointing one for the Three Lions.
“Contracts are irrelevant in football because managers can have three, four, five-year contracts and you accept that if the results aren’t good enough, it’s time to go your separate ways. Why should I be any different? He said in September.
“I’m not arrogant enough to think that my contract will protect me in any way.”