Mauricio Pochettino discusses possibility of becoming England manager

Mauricio Pochettino has revealed he would ‘open’ to managing England in the future.

Pochettino has been out of a job 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 setup 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 so comfortable here. You never know what happens. I am open to everything.”

Discussing England’s chances in Qatar, he said, “Their mentality, they are so brave, they are so offensive, they go to provoke the opponent and try to dominate.

“They don’t care about the team that is in front [of them]. They try to deliver their job. I like how they approach the game, and they have very good players.”

Current England boss Gareth Southgate has a contract until after Euro 2024. But his team has struggled this year and, while he has vowed to at least see out his current deal, has admitted that his job would be on the line should the World Cup be 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 results are not good enough it is time to go your separate ways. Why would I be any different?” he said in September.

“I am not arrogant enough to think that my contract is going to protect me in any way.”