Mauricio Pochettino could be a popular choice to become the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur if Andre Villas-Boas is sacked. Such a return would undoubtedly excite the fans, but for the time being, Pochettino is not expected to return to Tottenham in the short term.
Pochettino and Tottenham: an unfinished story
Although Pochettino left Tottenham in 2019, he still feels he has unfinished business in North London. He has also always had a good relationship with club chairman Daniel Levy. However, Tottenham fans should not get their hopes up, as Pochettino is currently focusing on another important challenge – coaching the US national team.
Pochettino took over the reins of the US national team in September 2023 and will lead the team to the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. This is a new adventure for the Argentine coach, and he is full of enthusiasm for it.
Pochettino’s new challenge: leading the US team
Pochettino mentioned in an interview that US President Donald Trump had asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino: “Can we win the World Cup?” Gianni replied in the affirmative, but Pochettino joked, “He should have said, ‘Ask our wonderful coach Pochettino!’”
However, Pochettino is also well aware of the enormous pressure the US team will face as the host. “It’s good to have a president who is always under a lot of pressure. We are ready for the challenge,” he said.
Pochettino’s seventh game in charge of the US team will be held on March 21 (6:00 a.m. Vietnam time), when the US team will face Panama in the semi-finals of the Nations League of Central America and the Caribbean. This game will be an important opportunity to test his coaching ability.
Pochettino’s Chelsea days: short but meaningful
Before taking over the US team, Pochettino coached Chelsea for one season. Although his tenure was not considered a success, he helped the team improve from 12th place in the 2022/23 season to 6th place in the Premier League in the 2023/24 season. In the end, his cooperation with the club ended “by mutual agreement”.
“It was a very positive experience,” Pochettino recalled. ‘We learned a lot from it. It was a completely different project, and we knew there would be big challenges when we signed the contract. If you look at the rankings in the last six months of the season, you can see the progress was very obvious.’
Despite not achieving the success he had hoped for, Pochettino still cherishes his time at Stamford Bridge. He admits it was a valuable experience that has given him experience for his future career.
Future possibilities: a return to club football
Although Pochettino is currently focused on leading the US team, he has not ruled out the possibility of returning to club football after the 2026 World Cup. When asked about Tottenham Hotspur, he did not hesitate to express his feelings for his old club: “Deep down, I still feel the same way. I hope to come back one day.”
Pochettino added: “Not because of pride, but because I really want to win titles with Tottenham. We were so close once, and it really hurt. We were there for almost five and a half years, not only in the Champions League, but also at one point the favourites to win the Premier League.”
Green card issue: an anecdote
Interestingly, despite being the head coach of the US national team, Pochettino has not yet obtained a green card and has to wait in line every time he enters the US. He said with a smile: “Last time we were in Los Angeles, we waited in line for an hour and a half. Maybe I’ll get my green card one day.”
Summary
Whether or not Pochettino will return to Tottenham remains unknown, but his name is always associated with the North London club. Whether it’s coaching the US team or his possible future club journey, Pochettino is writing his own football story in his own way.
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