Key Takeaways
- Mauricio Pochettino says he feels deep sadness watching Tottenham Hotspur fight relegation from the Premier League.
- The Argentine coach believes a lack of transfer funds stopped his Spurs side from winning major trophies between 2014 and 2019.
- Pochettino hopes to manage in England again after leading the United States national team at the 2026 World Cup.
Mauricio Pochettino has spoken about his pain at seeing Tottenham Hotspur near the bottom of the Premier League table. The Argentine coach, who led Spurs for five years, says the situation is hard for him to watch.
Spurs currently sit in 18th position. They are two points away from safety with only four matches left to play this season. This is a huge change from Pochettino’s time at the club. During his spell in north London, he took the team to second place in 2017. He also guided them to the Champions League final in 2019.
Speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, the 54-year-old shared his feelings. He said Tottenham will always be an important part of his life. He knows the fans and staff are suffering. He finds this reality difficult to accept.
Pochettino explained that money problems held back his team. The club was building a new stadium and training ground during his time there. Because of this, the team played home matches at Wembley Stadium and Milton Keynes. They had very little cash for new players.
The coach revealed he wanted to sign Sadio Mané and Georginio Wijnaldum. However, both players joined Liverpool instead. Those players later helped Liverpool beat Spurs 2-0 in the 2019 Champions League final in Madrid.
Pochettino noted that his team went 18 months without buying any new players. He said this was a record for the Premier League. He believes his side could have won the FA Cup or Carabao Cup if they had spent more money on the squad.
Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, sacked Pochettino five months after that European final. Jose Mourinho replaced him. The team has struggled to reach those heights again since then.
The South American then worked for Paris Saint-Germain in France. In May 2023, he became the manager of Chelsea. He left that job after just one year. The team finished sixth in the Premier League under his guidance.
Chelsea owners BlueCo have sacked many managers recently. They dismissed Liam Rosenior after only 23 games. Pochettino says the owners do have a plan. He admits it is different from the era of former owner Roman Abramovich. He thinks the owners need to explain their vision to the public.
Pochettino is now preparing for a new challenge. He will lead the United States national team at the 2026 World Cup. The tournament will take place in America, Mexico and Canada. Despite this new role, he wants to work in the Premier League again one day.
He says his style fits English football very well. When he looks for a new job, he wants to understand the club’s true situation. He needs to know what the board expects from him. He says problems happen when people outside the club start to make noise and demand trophies.