‘I felt Poch could have done a little bit more.’
Newcastle United defender Kieran Trippier discussed Mauricio Pochettino’s managerial credentials as the Argentine continues to be linked with the Manchester United job.
The England international called the current Paris Saint-Germain boss an “unbelievable manager.” However, his man-management skills were not as good as Diego Simeone’s, according to the Newcastle full-back.
Trippier compared Pochettino with Atletico Madrid manager Simeone, who he believes has mastered the art of man-management.
Kieran Trippier on Diego Simeone and Mauricio Pochettino.
Trippier talked about the art of being a modern-day manager. The Toon defender talked about how each player is different when it comes to man-management.
He highlighted Simeone as a prime example of a coach who was great at “putting an arm around” every player at the best of times.
The 31-year-old won La Liga in 2021 under the Argentinian, before making a £15m move to Newcastle in January.
“Every player is different and I played with players who sometimes needed that arm around them, and that is normal. But players are different,” Trippier said on the True Geordie Podcast.
“But with the way that Diego Simeone worked (at Atletico Madrid). Everyone was the same and we had big characters in that dressing room. But like I said, every player needs an arm around them sometimes.”
Trippier on Mauricio Pochettino’s man-management.
Pochettino’s time at Spurs saw them become an established top-four side in the Premier League. They reached the final of the Champions League in 2019 before Pochettino left the club a few months later.
Trippier said that the former Southampton boss established a great dressing-room to be a part of.
However, Trippier felt said that there “could have been a little bit more” from 50-year-old during his time at the London club.
“I’m going to be honest, not really. I spoke to a few of my teammates at the time and, to be fair, we had a great team then.
“It was a great set of lads and unbelievable dressing room. Poch, don’t get me wrong, is an unbelievable manager and he has done a lot for me, of course he has.
“I respect him, that’s normal. But I just felt that there could have been a little bit more (to come from him).”
