- Published
Mauricio Pochettino heads to Old Trafford with a reputation for "brutal" pre-seasons, an obsession with fitness and a no-nonsense approach.
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Manchester United confirmed on Friday that Pochettino will become their manager on 18 November - replacing Michael Carrick - and has signed a contract until June 2029.
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So what should the players and staff expect when the Argentine takes control at the end of next week?
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BBC Sport spoke to Toby Alderweireld, who spent four years playing for Pochettino at Tottenham during a successful period where they reached the Champions League final and finished second in the Premier League.
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'The main man'
Alderweireld, 37, says Pochettino has a no-nonsense approach to management and that he can get the best out of a squad, as long as you do it his way.
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"He is very approachable but you need to follow his plan.
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If you don't follow his plan, you go on the side and you're not coming back any more.
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"You need to think about team, team, team.
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If you're thinking about yourself, you're gone.
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As a player you have your own life, your own situation but he says 'look, I understand and you can talk to me about it but the team is number one' - that's the way it is and if you're not following it, he'll put you on the sideline.
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"He's straightforward, has his own ideas and maybe you agree with them or don't, that's up to you.
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But you need to follow him and I think that's something Manchester United need - a big character, everyone in the same direction, following the plan and if not, no problem, you can go.
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"He's a very smart man, knows how to talk to the press and what to say.
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He will create an environment like 'it's us against the world' - we are getting fit, we are together as a team.
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It doesn't matter what people say, let's work together and get results together.
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"At Spurs there was coaching staff but he will be there.
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He knows everything.
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If he's not there, he's looking at video and data.
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He knows everything about the players on and off the pitch - the players will be watched.
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"He is, in a positive way, a control freak because he says your body is your weapon and it needs to be ready to perform."
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'The basic is to be fit'
Manchester United have been criticised this season for an apparent lack of fitness and for not running enough in games - they rank in the bottom five in the league for distance covered and most high-intensity runs.
Alderweireld says Pochettino's number one demand is fitness and running.
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"First of all he made us very fit.
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"The way he wants to play - on the front foot, putting people under pressure, a high line, very dynamic play - you need to run.
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You need to be capable of running and be capable of high intensity runs - the basic is to be fit.
"
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Every manager wants a good pre-season and time to give the players their ideas and the fitness.
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But the players are going to feel straight away that it's a different level.
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"This is every day at the training ground, it's 100% - that's what he asks, what he demands.
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It will be a big difference for the players and they're going to see results there straight away.
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"In the Champions League semi-final, we were 3-0 down [against Ajax] and he didn't have a tactical half-time talk.
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He just said 'you're going to be physical, you're going to fight, you only need one goal to be back in the game, believe that everything is possible'.
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But we changed everything by intensity, by duels.
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I remember the long ball to [Fernando] Llorente and just fighting and asking 'how badly do you want it?'
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It changed from that moment."
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