Rafa Benitez or Mauricio Pochettino for Newcastle United’s new boss?

Who would be best at Newcastle between Rafa Benitez and Mauricio Pochettino?

As Newcastle United stands at a crossroad between its current owner of Mike Ashley and the group backed by the the Saudi Arabian Public investment Fund, questions remain about the future of the playing side of the club. While an additional bid has been made by an American businessman Henry Mauriss, the limbo has Steve Bruce’s long term position as well.

The two most popular names I’ve heard bandied about to succeed Bruce are Rafa Benitez, formerly of Liverpool and Newcastle just recently, and Mauricio Pochettino. Between these two choosing is difficult and so analyzing each as best we can remains the only sensible means to move forward with.

Rafa Benitez or Mauricio Pochettino?

In my mind, this question is much like the one the succeeded Poch’s firing and replacement with Jose Mourinho; does one go with yesterdays man, or tomorrow’s? Tottenham chose yesterday; in my mind, it is not so difficult now as it was not then. Mauricio Pochettino is likely the better bet for Newcastle’s future, should he be wrangled for the position.

Why? Again, a hiring in the present, must be about what one can expect in the future, not a decade or so in the past; such is a decision based on foresight and not experience alone.

With Rafa Benitez, the resume is there without question; the issue for him is simply that it is all from years long distant from today. Meanwhile, just a year ago Poch was managing in the UCL Final; the trajectory can be hardly less than obvious, no?

For Newcastle United, the decision will have long lasting consequences; should the Magpies allow for Mauricio Pochettino to utilize the purse, something not seen at Tottenham, his success could raise the expectations of a once proud footballing club. With these expectations, can come a bevy of positives as well.

Newcastle United: The fruits of victory, or of construction perhaps

A famous baseball movie has given us the timeless quote, “If you build it, they will come.”; for Newcastle United, it is possible to say the same thing when one looks to hire the manager of the future. Grabbing an alluring boss can cause players to come to a club that perhaps has previously been under the radar of ugh quality competition.

This must be taken into consideration when one considers who to try and hire; who could come to Newcastle because of an admiration for Mauricio Pochettino and his style of football?  It is worth taking into consideration to be sure, for after all, managers have yet to take the field with boots and a kit themselves.

For whomever owns Newcastle United moving forward will have to make a splash to welcome in the new era of Magpie football; who rings that new era in more emphatically? After a disappointing season this campaign, a boost like what Everton did with the Carlo Ancelotti hiring should be a blueprint for Newcastle to follow. Poch is that boost and together, NUFC may yet be a force in modern football.