Tottenham Hotspur winning a trophy under Ange Postecoglou will be a high point of the club’s achievements over the past decade, but perhaps the most prolonged joy and optimism came under Mauricio Pochettino.
There appeared to be a clear connection between the Argentine and Spurs, similar to compatriots who had gone before him and another notable one who was still to come. Unfortunately the manager couldn’t quite secure Spurs a trophy but he did secure them good times, which will be looked back on fondly.
Indeed, Pochettino did so well at Tottenham that at one point he was one of the most wanted managers in football. He dismissed links with Barcelona on multiple occasions, saying his Espanyol past and feelings for the club meant he’d rather go and work on his farm in Argentina than take over at the Camp Nou.
Real Madrid were also repeatedly linked, and it’s been clear for years that Los Blancos represented an entirely different level of temptation for Pochettino.
The 53-year-old is currently manager of the US national team, building up to a home World Cup for the country. This week he’s been speaking to Spanish journalist Josep Pedrerol for El Chiringuito, and Marca have covered his comments.
As well as confirming his rather-work-on-a-farm stance regarding Barcelona, he also said Espanyol is the more Catalan club of the pair.
Pedrerol brought up the possibility of leaving Tottenham for Real Madrid, and Pochettino explained: “I don’t know whether to tell the story or not. Zidane is leaving and logically there’s the possibility of signing for Real Madrid. Surely other coaches too. I had given Levy my word that I would stay until Tottenham’s new ground was finished. At that moment I told him (Florentino Perez) that I would go to Madrid if Levy gave the OK.
“I don’t know what happened next. Surely he didn’t give the OK. I don’t know how Florentino Perez took it; it wasn’t my fault. I wasn’t out of contract, but it’s never too late if the luck is right.”
Mauricio Pochettino appears to feel Real Madrid is an itch he still needs to scratch, and many Tottenham Hotspur fans feel he has unfinished business at Spurs too.