Numerous sources including The Sun are running with the suggestion that Mauricio Pochettino could be set to make a sensational return to Tottenham Hotspur this summer. Whilst much loved, the Argentine didn’t leave Spurs by accident in November 2019.
Results had been abysmal, with winning away from home something that very rarely occurred. The then gaffer was clearly uncomfortable in pressers and one felt that every game left him reluctantly embracing a Groundhog Day routine where the same players were staring back at him in the dressing room, players that heard everything he could possibly say to them, and who had only experienced failure in their time with him.
The lack of churn in the transfer markets for a period of some 18-months undermined all the good Pochettino had done, and prevented Spurs from rebuilding, a point made in Poch’s ‘painful rebuild’ comments made in May 2019 before being fired in the November.
Sure, there has been some movement in the squad since his departure, but the bulk of the players are the same – only older. What is Mauricio supposed to do in order to reach these old friends this time around? Tell them excitedly wait he learned in his short spell in France? One cannot help but feel that this would be a situation with a short-lived impact.
If a transfer budget were made available – then sure – that would influence things enormously, but is Daniel Levy really at a point where he wants to effectively admit to the world that he got it wrong and ought to have backed Poch properly the first time around?
The real issue is that there is that given the post-COVID 19 footballing economy, there aren’t funds to back any new – or nearly new – manager.
In short, this is a nice idea, but once one scratches the surface, that’s all it is.
Poch, who didn’t win an away game for 18 months?
Any chance we can put less revisionism in the cake mix?
Poch is the best man to fix this mess, ONLY if he was backed. The reason why he was sacked was because he could no longer get a tune out of his stale squad. Jose didn’t really manage it either, despite 9 players coming in during his tenure. So does it mean Poch was sacked because he wasn’t good enough or because he needed backing, like Jose?
With Poch and Kane demanding commitment from Levy to be involved in the future might force Baldy to sell Kane and appoint Potter… 😂
I’d love to see Poch back if only it proved what an idiot Levy was to lose him in the first place. However he must insist on a clause in the contract that clearly states that Levy cannot meddle in football matters one jot. Also he must have a clear, written summary of his transfer funds that will be guaranteed.
Observing your view of Graham Potter, it does indeed seem strange to go from employing the man who guarentees(tm) winning pots to a man
without, except that logic would have ignored Kieth Burkinshaw also.
Oh I don’t know.. that season Klinsman came back from sampdoria and scored 4 against Wimbledon to keep us in the league on the final day of the season was pretty dire!
he’d only offer 25m for CB if the team needed an am
If it speaks like a right arse and walks like a right arse, it’s a right arse. That’s Levy’s nature. You can blame Poch for footballing mistakes but the financial side is all Levy. History has shown that when we needed investment to take us to the next level, he failed to do so. Remember, Saha and Ryan Nelson? 2 transfer Windows with no investment? Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Levy never learns, hence every day is like Groundhog Day squad wise.
Even if Levy committed to spending £200 million for the next three years it’s too late. It would take years to build a Title winner, years Harry hasn’t got.
Expectations have changed, no Champions League is seen as a failure. I remember relegation and I have seen worse teams that have been very, very poor but I have never seen such a bunch of entitled quitters.
I’d have him back just as long as he don’t pick kamala, sosoko and winks every game
I don’t think this is true. PSG didn’t win the league and the press are fumbling in the dark. Like I’ve said before I don’t think anyone including Levy knows who the next manager will be. It’s very likely that both Real Madrid and Barcelona may be looking for new managers soon. The top names like Conte and Allegri will be interested in those jobs. My hunch is that Levy wants Conte or someone similar in a final bid to convince Harry Kane to stay. The story they want us to hear is that “Spurs are taking their time to find the right man” when in reality Tottenham’s stock has fallen so hard that even Allardyce would think twice before taking our squad on.
Maybe more cock-ups than other years – ESL, Govt loans, lockdown breaches, Villa ticket price, rookie put in charge of final etc. but worse season than relegation in late 70s, our performances/teams in the mid/late 90s??!
Click bait, same as stories linking us with Allegri and if you believe them now we’re in contact with Zinedine Zidane.
I do agree Poch made mistakes, the record signings came too late, more or less a week before the season started. More Levy gold to get half a mil knock off the fees. The cost was no pre-season, we desperately needed Kane back up throughout those windows, nothing came, Poch dropped a few clangers, starting Vorm in the semi V Utd was a shocker, but which manager doesn’t make errors? I don’t think it would be a good move him coming back, not yet at least, but he was let down having got us oh so close, 2nd in the league, 2nd in the CL. Earned the club millions from Europe on a tight budget. That’s why Levy would take him back, so do t be too surprised if it happens
I think it was a bit of both I know he was given a few punts which didn’t work out then we had trouble shipping them out to get others in until last minute of the transfer window Levy ‘hour’
To be fair to him he inherited a bad defence with PSG and have had to play catch up after the lousy start they had, reason for Tuchel being sacked. Also who would have thought Lille would keep wining like they have
love to we him back but can’t see it, Levy won’t admit to his mistake and what promises made will be broken eventually
It’s generally wrong to take back an old employee or girlfriend. I cannot see that any guarantee that Levy offers Poch or any other manager regarding transfer funds and non interference in player recruitment would work. How would this guarantee work? Would there be a contract? Levy is a liar and there is no such thing as a gentleman’s agreement with him. He cannot help himself when it comes to interfering in matters he knows nothing about and the decisions he comes to are invariably bad for the club.
Everyone is allowed to have fantasies, but it would also need Mitchell coming back as well and some dosh to spend. But if there is a grain of truth in it the penny might be dropping for levy, though if anything changes I’d have to see it to believe it as his words are meaningless.
If you want to the intelligence of some of our fanbase look at who talk sport get on, one yesterday said this year was the worst he’d seen in 50 years, and whilst bad that’s some claim it was the worst.
Surely, Poch wouldn’t take the job back unless he DID get assurances from Levy on Transfer kitty and getting the players he wants?
Until Ali Gold feeds us the party line…….I mean tells us the latest from WHL I refuse to believe it.
I wouldn’t work as Levy would think “well I know I promised him £150m on new players but money is tight I will say we have £25m for a CB and he will accept it”
How many ways are there to say….NO !!
Bit like taking back an ex. Rarely, if ever works out and ultimately ends in tears and abject hate.
Problem I have with him returning is he’s not strong enough to stand up to Levy. He bottled some major games and failed to win the league with PSG where he has some of the best players in the world to choose from, not the likes of Aurier, Winks et al.
it’s a no from me.
Did Poch pick the players or, as is likely, have them forced upon him.
See the thing is, no one who’s not in that inner circle knows what was offered then. I’m sure if Poch said ship out Dembele while we can still get a decent fee and allow me to sign X, something may have happened. If levy said “balance the books, here’s the budget”, poch needed to compromise on that.
It was often reported that he wanted to keep his small group of trusted players; if he’d allowed one or more to move, maybe he could have brought in others?
I’m not being a levy apologist, I just don’t and can’t believe that Poch is blameless in this.
The sun can go to blazes. But the idea appeals, but only if Levy does the unthinkable and buries his ego and absolutely guarantees Poch the freedom to rebuild, which is extremely unlikely. Levy is on his knees, poker-face or not. He has reached rock-bottom and he knows it. The Super League may have saved his arse but that has gone and the new conference a complete embarrassment. If we win it, unless a Champions League place goes with it, it will be mocked and seen the same as a pre-season tournament victory. Belarus anyone? Hopefully Levy will be confiscated by the Belarus bizzies.
I couldn’t possibly comment.
You may enjoy my YouTube channel which is also full of fresh air
THE BOY
Levy followed the same pattern with Poch as he did with every other manager. One or two “record buys” to try and paper over the cheap punts and second choice targets.
And then two transfer windows with no activity fatally screwed things.
I’d gladly welcome him back but he would have to make it a condition of his appointment that he’s significantly backed in the transfer market and, probably even more importantly, that Steve Hitchen no longer oversees player recruitment.
Two transfer windows, not one purchase. When we were within touching distance of greatness. That’s why.
It’s in The Sun …… it must be true.
I still don’t understand why people are constantly saying levy didn’t support poch in the market – in his last summer we broke our transfer record, brought in two midfielders and a young full back etc etc.. Mou allowed that it’s possible to change the squad, even when he was severely impacted by covid… Maybe Poch just want creative or pragmatic enough to enable levy to sell some of his favourites / core in order to bring in new?
Harry Hotspurs, I think you are one of the few spurs supporters who is truly intelligent, been seeing surveys and polls, to my dismay nearly 90 % of spurs fans want him back, I have now realised that I support a team that the majority of its fans have an I.Q of a goldfish and an owner thats more tight than a virgin.