Meet Mauricio Pochettino’s pop star WAG who he ‘wanted to calm’ after nightmare begin
Mauricio Pochettino is set to take on the biggest job in world football but he will need to make sure his pop star WAG keeps her cool after ‘needing to calm her’ following a nightmare start
New Manchester United boss Mauricio Pochettino will call on the support of his wife Karina(Image: Tiziana FABI / AFP via Getty Images)
Mauricio Pochettino will become the most watched manager in world football when he takes the reins of Manchester United next week. The Argentine will leave his job as USA boss and attempt to put the broken Old Trafford side back together.
The 57-year-old brings a wealth of experience after spells with Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea in the Premier League. With that knowledge of English football a crucial point to him being pursued as Michael Carrick’s replacement.
But things didn’t go to plan during his Stamford Bridge tenure and he left after just one year in charge. And he’ll be calling on the support of his wife Karina to make sure his United job goes better than his time at Chelsea.
Pochettino will begin his work in Manchester next week(Image: Getty Images)
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The couple met back in 1991 when Pochettino was a young footballer in Argentina and both were still teenagers. After meeting socially, it quickly became apparent there was something deeper between the teenagers.
The couple dated for three years before marrying in 1994. It was a small and intimate ceremony in their home of Argentina and since then Karina has been a constant at his side.
During his poor start to life as Chelsea boss, Poch revealed he had to calm his wife rather than himself after winning just one of their first six league matches.
Pochettino said while laughing: “You need to ask me how is my wife, not ask my wife how I am. I need to calm my wife.”
Pochettino’s wife Karina has been by his side throughout his career
Pochettino insists Karina did not see a different man once he returned home following the cup win over Brighton that lifted the immediate pressure of his shoulders because he has matured over the past decade. “Why? Because we won?”, he asked.
“No. Now my balance is much better than in the past, 10 years ago. I am more mature now. I try to keep calm. I hope my wife is happy with my behaviour now.
“As a coaching staff, we are more mature now. We are not affected emotionally too much as in the past.
“Even when we win, we are calm. And when things are not so good, we keep calm also, to try to identify the right solution for the team and for the future.”
Mauricio Pochettino’s time at Chelsea didn’t go to plan(Image: Getty Images)
Karina, who studied Pharmacy at the National University in Argentina, has been by Poch’s side throughout his playing career and managerial venture.
But that doesn’t stop her critiquing her husband’s performance, especially in press conferences, and Pochettino himself has admitted her reviews can be absolutely brutal – asking him “why you say that”.
He previously said: “It’s more than 25 years now she’s been next to me, and in the last few years, the one thing that she criticises most is my press conferences.
“Because she is very focused, ‘why you say that’, ‘you need to say to, not for’, ‘that is why, not because’. She is fixing me after every press conference and criticises me a lot. But it is part of it to improve, no?”
The couple share two children, Sebastiano and Maurizio. Sebastiano has followed his father into the world of football and works as a fitness coach, and will join him as part of his backroom staff in Manchester.
