Mauricio Pochettino launches double charm offensive at Man Utd and Fergie

MAURICIO POCHETTINO knows where to aim his Manchester United charm offensive.

For 27 years, Sir Alex Ferguson held the keys to the manager's office at Old Trafford — and he will play a crucial role in deciding who takes them next.

Pochettino, who's being courted by both United and Real Madrid, is competing with Reds caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the position.

And the Tottenham chief has begun the Fergie flirtations.

Discussing preparation for games, Poch said: "For me, the key — as it was for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United — is man management. The human skills are the most important.

"Otherwise we are just talking about technology, machines, data - they don't feel anything. They are like the furniture."

Pochettino painting himself in the Fergie mould came just a week after lauding praise on the Scot.

And the Argentine stressed the strength of their relationship.

After Ferguson returned to the United set-up under Solskjaer, Poch said: "It is fantastic news because he is football, Sir Alex means football. For him to be involved is massively important.

"I cannot hide my admiration and relationship with him. He was one of the people I admired the most, an inspiration.

"We had a very nice lunch in London [in 2016] and since then we have kept a good relationship. We are football people.

"Has Ferguson given United a new energy? He is the best manager in the history of football. To see him every day is massive. He is an encyclopaedia of football."

If that weren't enough, Pochettino explained the importance of finances in football, in a period when United have shown their might while Spurs closed the coffers.

Poch was unable to sign a player in the summer as the new White Hart Lane was constructed.

And, while talking about his arrival at Tottenham in 2014, he spoke of the importance of funds after the club aimed at reaching the Champions League to attract players.

He said: "That was the theory, but it wasn't the practice.

"It killed the theory, that you are in the top four you are going to attract players. In football, you need money to attract good players.

"You can build the best house in the world but if you don't have money to pay you can't put the best security, the best gardeners, you know. You need money too, not just facilities."

Pochettino knows the financial backing United managers are given — Fergie doesn't need to tell him that.