Gary Lineker has issued a stark warning regarding the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the new manager of Manchester United.
The former England striker suggested that deep-rooted structural problems at the club will likely prevent the Argentine coach from succeeding in the long term, according to Yahoo Sports.
Pochettino signed a two-and-a-half-year deal to replace Michael Carrick, as reported by Goal.
The new manager inherits a squad that currently sits in 18th place in the Premier League table following a winless streak of eight matches.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker noted that while an initial bounce is possible, he doubts the manager will survive 18 months.
Lineker stated, “if he’s still there in 18 months, I’ll be surprised.”
The pundit argued that the club has cycled through 12 different coaches since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, with most departures occurring under negative circumstances.
He further criticized the club’s recruitment team, noting that they failed to properly support the previous tenure of Michael Carrick, per Goal.
Lineker emphasized that the issues extend beyond the dugout, claiming that the scapegoat is always the coach despite systemic failures at the executive level.
He also expressed skepticism regarding the impact of minority owner Jim Ratcliffe, suggesting that conditions at the club have not improved.
Pochettino is currently completing his obligations with the United States national team before officially taking charge at Old Trafford.
His first match as the Manchester United manager is scheduled for November 22, when the team travels to Anfield to face Liverpool.
The upcoming fixture represents a significant challenge for the new manager as he looks to address the team’s lack of confidence and poor league standing.
Lineker maintains that the club hierarchy remains responsible for the persistent difficulties facing each new appointment.