Mauricio Pochettino used secret tactic with Spurs stars that makes him the perfect fit for Man Utd

Mauricio Pochettino is closing in on becoming the new head coach of Manchester United - and a secret tactic he has used throughout his managerial career could help him to deliver success to Old Trafford.

The Athletic reported on Wednesday morning that United were finalising terms to appoint Pochettino as their new head coach, replacing Michael Carrick. United executives will make a final decision over whether to part company with Carrick during a meeting in Monaco on Wednesday.

Should Pochettino make the move to Old Trafford, United would be his fourth Premier League club after Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea. He is currently in charge of the United States men's national team - where he has continued to apply principles that should help to propel United up the Premier League table.

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What Mauricio Pochettino did at Spurs which will benefit Man Utd

Pochettino had his most prolonged period of success in charge of Spurs, guiding them to second place in the 2015/16 Premier League table before a Champions League final appearance in 2019.

He was sacked by the club at the beginning of the 2019/20 season, but his impact on the club has been such that Spurs fans have regularly called for his return in the years since.

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One of Pochettino's biggest strengths was his trust in young players, with academy midfielder Ryan Mason being called up to the senior squad during the Argentine's time in charge in 2014 before making 66 appearances in all competitions across the next two seasons.

Speaking to ESPN in 2018, shortly before retiring from professional football due to a serious head injury sustained while playing for Hull, Mason spoke about what Pochettino and his assistant, Jesus Perez, were like on the training ground - and how they implemented one particular principle that completely transformed Spurs' fortunes.

"I still hear Jesus' voice now," Mason said. "When I'm training or playing and my body is telling me, 'You're knackered', I still hear his voice saying, 'You're a strong boy, Mase!' That stuck. It's always there.

Jesus Perez and Mauricio Pochettino pictured while at Spurs (Image: Getty)

"They made you believe in your body and trust your body, and push it to a level which you may not have reached. It's easy to think you're tired and that you don't have anything else in you. But they train your brain to tell your body you're not tired.

"Everything was positive. There was never anything negative. Your brain gets used to hearing this positivity all the time. They understand the mental side, the stress you go through away from the pitch. Everything is geared towards the mental. It's not just solely physical or tactical - it's your life as well, and how you go about it daily. They cover angle."

That tactic should apply well to Old Trafford, where the pressures of playing for a club like United are among of the biggest across world football.

But it also applies to the numbers as well. United rank 19th for distance covered across Premier League clubs this season, with only Liverpool below them. The players have been criticised at times for their lack of running this season, and Pochettino would need his players to improve significantly in that area should be appointed.

All that is left to do now is to pay the reported $10 million (£7.5m) compensation clause to prise him out of his USMNT contract - and the additional fees required to bring his key backroom staff with him.