LONDON -- Jose Mourinho warned rookie manager Mauricio Pochettino of the perils of the job, and the Tottenham manager has not forgotten the advice as he prepares to face Mourinho's Manchester United in this weekend's biggest Premier League match.
Pochettino began his coaching career with Spanish club Espanyol in 2009 and on Thursday he described Mourinho as one of his first "references" as a manager. The following year, Mourinho took charge of Real Madrid and went on to beat Pochettino four times in La Liga.
After one of their earliest meetings, Mourinho told Pochettino some home truths about management over a bottle of wine, an exchange that has shaped the Argentine's approach to younger coaches.
"I was lucky to meet him when I started my career in Espanyol," Pochettino said. "It was a great experience for me that he opened his door. Now, when a young manager starts his career and wants to talk with you and see how you work, that inspired me to open the door to younger coaches. It's important, that moment helped me a lot.
"It's important when you start your career that some people tell the truth about what to expect. [He said] 'To be a manager, don't believe it will be easy. Some problems will come.' He is always direct and honest, you can see that. I like that."
Pochettino's style on and off the pitch differs significantly from Mourinho's, however. The United manager's "confrontational leadership" has often seen him criticise his players in public, something Pochettino generally avoids.
"You cannot compare Mourinho with me," Pochettino said. "Mourinho is on the top. I am behind. He is in a different moment in his career. I hope one day to win the same titles as him. Maybe I will start to criticise the players in that moment!
"You can learn from all. The best quality when people want to be a manager is to be open to learn every day. If you are open to learn, you can learn to be better. You can learn from everyone. You can be inspired from different people, from people on the street.
"You can be inspired by different mangers: [Sir. Alex] Ferguson, [Pep] Guardiola, [Marcelo] Bielsa or Mourinho. Different managers can inspire you in philosophy on the pitch, off the pitch, how you coach your team."