MAURICIO POCHETTINO is among the bookies’ favourites to replace Ange Postecoglou at Spurs in what would be a hugely emotional return.
Sacked by Tottenham in 2019, Pochettino still feels he has unfinished business in North London — and he has a good relationship with owner Daniel Levy despite that axe.
Mauricio Pochettino has opened the door to an emotional Spurs return[/caption]
But Spurs fans should avoid putting a few quid on the Argentine, 53, as he will not be heading back there anytime soon.
Because the one person you would not want to upset in the world right now is Donald Trump.
The US President expects Poch to deliver in his new job as manager of the country’s men’s football team.
After leaving Chelsea last May, he was appointed as the States’ manager in September and will be in charge for the 2026 World Cup, which the nation is co-hosting.
And he will hope for better luck next year . . . as the only time Poch played at a World Cup he lost to England in 2002.
His seventh game as boss is tomorrow night against Panama in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals.
Smiling, Pochettino said: “I was listening to a conversation between our President Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino from Fifa.
“The President asked, ‘Can we win the World Cup?’ And Gianni said, ‘Yes’. But I was disappointed with this answer.
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“He should have said, ‘You need to ask your great coach, Pochettino! He can give a better opinion’.
“Pressure is there as we’re a host country. It’s also a country where the mentality is about winning.
“Now with our President that likes to put pressure on, that is good. So, yes, we are ready to deliver.”
Pochettino spent just one season at Chelsea after arriving in 2023.
He led them to sixth spot — they were 12th the previous season — before leaving by “mutual consent”.
Being diplomatic, Pochettino said: “It was very positive to join a project different to anything we’d done in the past. We learned a lot.
“We already knew before we signed it was going to be a big challenge. In the circumstances, we can be proud of how we finished.
“At the start, the team had many, many problems and even then were performing well without getting the results that we wanted.
“But if you see the table in the last six months, you can see the progression was massive.
Despite managing the US team, Poch has not had special treatment so is without a fabled green card — a permanent resident card.
In the bottom of my heart I still feel the same. I would like one day to come back.
Mauricio Pochettino on Spurs
It means he must queue for ages at passport control like all other overseas visitors.
Laughing, he said: “Last time in LA, we were waiting 1½ hours in the queue. Maybe one day they will give me the green card.”
Yet you get the impression that after the next World Cup, Pochettino could return to club football.
So could it be Spurs?
He said: “In the bottom of my heart I still feel the same. I would like one day to come back.
“Not because of my ego but as I’d like to win with Spurs. We were so close and it was so painful.
“We spent nearly 5½ years at Tottenham. We not only played in the Champions League but were a Premier League contender.
‘I feel empty’
“We improved the facilities — the training ground, the stadium. We did not sign a player for 18 months as the focus was on other things.
“The problem was this type of journey creates a lot of friction. Also, I made mistakes.
“But when you are clever, you learn from mistakes. When a relationship finishes, I feel empty.
“I didn’t always manage well and that was part of my responsibility.
“Now Tottenham is a club with an expectation to win because if you see the facilities — training ground and stadium — you can see it is about winning trophies.
“That is why I would like one day to come back. It’s six years since we left and it’s always going to be a special club for me.”
Poch still has a bond with Levy, who got rid of him following a poor start to the 2019-20 campaign.
The Argentine added: “It’s true after nearly six years with all that we lived together, it was tough.
“It’s difficult in football that that doesn’t affect your relationship.
“For us, we split very well. Now, like the day after I left Tottenham, we have a very good relationship.”
Poch still has a bond with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy[/caption]
