Pochettino's Tottenham Return
Mauricio Pochettino Reveals He Would Have Managed Tottenham Even in the Championship
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Key Points
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Pochettino’s Tottenham record included 293 matches, 160 victories and a 54.6% win rate—better than all but three permanent managers in the club’s 144-year history.
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Tottenham’s approach came amid a severe crisis: after Thomas Frank’s dismissal, Spurs were 16th with 11 defeats in 26 league matches and only five points separating them from the relegation zone.
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Pochettino said Tottenham contacted “everyone, all the coaches! Free and not free!” before ultimately appointing Igor Tudor, whose five league matches produced four defeats and one draw before his departure after 44 days.
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Pochettino’s decision to remain with the U.S. team was influenced by the support of the federation and fans; after the World Cup, the federation offered him and his staff another four-year term.
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During his Tottenham tenure, Pochettino also guided the club to a League Cup final, in addition to the Champions League final mentioned in the broader account of his achievements.
Mauricio Pochettino said he would have returned to Tottenham even to manage in the Championship, but timing has never aligned. TalkSport reported that Tottenham approached the U.S. national team boss last season during a relegation crisis, but he was already committed to World Cup preparations and could not accept. Now locked into a deal with the U.S. through 2030, a near-term return looks unlikely—despite his openness to the job.
Pochettino's five-year Tottenham tenure from 2014 to 2019 remains among the club's finest: 293 matches, 160 wins, and a 54.6% win rate that ranks better than all but three permanent managers in the club's 144-year history. The Sun noted that Spurs reached a Champions League final and League Cup final under his leadership—achievements the club has struggled to replicate since his departure.
Tottenham's Desperate Recruitment Drive
Tottenham's approach came as the club sank into crisis. After sacking Thomas Frank, Spurs sat 16th with only 11 points from 26 matches—just five points clear of relegation. TalkSport reported that Pochettino joked the club "contacted everyone, all the coaches! Free and not free!" in its scramble for a new manager. Ultimately, Tottenham appointed Igor Tudor, who lasted just 44 days and five league matches, producing four defeats and one draw before departing.
Why Pochettino Couldn't Return Last Season
Pochettino was preparing the U.S. men's national team for the World Cup when Tottenham came calling. Ca.sports.yahoo.com reported that he could not break his commitment to the federation mid-cycle. After the World Cup ended, U.S. Soccer offered Pochettino and his staff another four-year contract extension through 2030—a vote of confidence that locked him in further.
A Pattern of Misaligned Timing
Pochettino described a frustrating pattern: Tottenham approached him while he held other jobs, but never offered the role when he was actually available. Football365 noted that he remains open to managing the club again someday, and has also indicated interest in becoming England manager. For now, his U.S. commitment makes a Spurs return unlikely in the near term, though his old love for the club clearly remains alive.
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