Mauricio Pochettino has opened up on the timing that ultimately denied him a return to Tottenham Hotspur, while also reigniting debate over the club's 2016-17 Premier League near-miss during a wide-ranging interview marking the start of his second cycle as United States head coach.
Tottenham's managerial situation grew turbulent last February when Igor Tudor was appointed to steady the ship following the sacking of Thomas Frank. Tudor's tenure proved brief and troubled, with his side collecting just one point from a possible 15 across five Premier League matches. That poor run led to his removal and the subsequent hiring of Roberto De Zerbi, who eventually guided Spurs to survival on the final day of the season. De Zerbi has since been given a contract running until 2031.
Amid that upheaval, speculation swirled that Pochettino — a popular figure among Tottenham supporters from his previous spell in charge — could make a sensational return to the club. However, the Argentine explained that circumstances conspired against any reunion.
"The problem was that the timings were never the best," Pochettino said. "When I was free, I never received a contact. And then when I was working [with the USA], I received a contact but I cannot make the decision to come back. It was a little bit unlucky. Maybe one day the stars will align and it can happen. If I was free, of course, I come. But I wasn't free."
Pochettino has since committed his future to the US national team, signing a new four-year deal to continue leading the squad. Despite that commitment, he made clear that his affection for Tottenham runs deep enough that he would have been willing to take charge regardless of the club's league status at the time — even amid fears the club could have been relegated to the Championship.
"Tottenham... it's the only club that always I am open to help in whatever division," Pochettino said, addressing the prospect of managing lower-league fixtures had Spurs gone down.
The former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea manager also used the interview to revisit one of the Premier League's more contentious chapters. Chelsea were crowned champions in the 2016-17 season, with Pochettino's Tottenham finishing as runners-up. Chelsea have since been found guilty of serious financial breaches dating back to that period, prompting Pochettino to argue that the title should be retroactively reassigned.
"If that [Chelsea's chicanery] was true, then we deserve to be champions that year, for sure," he said. "They were punished, they admitted it? So that's it. The title should be for the team that was second."
The comments come at a notable moment, given scrutiny of Pochettino's own team amid controversy involving a United States player whose suspension was reportedly shelved by FIFA following intervention from Donald Trump during the recent Club World Cup. The situation has prompted some observers to question the consistency of Pochettino's stance on disciplinary matters and fair play.
Nonetheless, Pochettino's remarks underline his continued emotional connection to Tottenham, a club he managed for more than five years before departing for Paris Saint-Germain. Whether the "stars align" for a future reunion, as he put it, remains to be seen, but for now his focus remains firmly on his second spell in charge of the United States national team.
Based on reporting from The Guardian (Football Daily).