Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has reignited speculation regarding a sensational return to North London, claiming that the club “needs to be” fighting for the Premier League and Champions League.
His comments come at a time of immense pressure for current head coach Thomas Frank, whose tenure is reportedly at a “breaking point” following a string of poor results.
Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham need to be competing at the highest level
Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Pochettino, who is currently managing the United States national team, was blunt about his former club’s current trajectory.
While Spurs ended a 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League last season under Ange Postecoglou, Pochettino insists that such honors are not enough for a club of Tottenham’s stature.
“It is true that Tottenham is a club that needs to think about winning the Premier League and the Champions League.
“Their facilities are Champions League (level), and in the past we didn’t have that. But now it is about winning the Premier League and the Champions League.
“The fans appreciated (us) because we challenged for the Premier League and the Champions League.
“To win a Europa League that the team won (last season) is good, because when you celebrate a trophy that is good, but it is not enough.
“It is not enough for a club like Tottenham to challenge for the Carabao Cup or the FA Cup or the Europa League or the Conference (League).
“It is a club that should be, or needs to be in the Champions League, and fighting for the Champions League, and trying to believe you can win the Champions League, and fighting for the Premier League, and believing you can win the Premier League.”
Thomas Frank Tottenham future remains uncertain
The timing of these comments couldn’t be worse for Thomas Frank.
Tottenham are currently enduring a nightmare run in the Premier League, sitting in 15th place and just six points above the relegation zone.
Following a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United, Spurs have now gone seven league matches without a victory.
Frank admitted his side is ‘desperate’ for a win ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Newcastle United.
Reports suggest he could be one match away from the sack, with the hierarchy losing patience as the club’s domestic season collapses. Pochettino has been identified as a potential candidate to replace him.
While the Dane has guided Spurs to the Champions League Round of 16, his league record, just seven wins in 25 games, has made his position increasingly tenable.
Pochettino has unfinished business at Tottenham
The ‘world-class‘ Argentine remains a beloved figure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, largely due to his transformative five-year spell between 2014 and 2019.
Under his guidance, Spurs became regular title contenders, finishing as Premier League runners-up in 2016/17 with their highest-ever points total.
His tenure peaked with a historic run to the 2019 Champions League Final, only to lose to Liverpool
Although he left the club five months later, his unfinished business has been a recurring theme.
With his USMNT contract set to expire after the 2026 World Cup, many fans are already dreaming of a reunion to restore the club to the heights he once achieved.