Tottenham Hotspur could reappoint Mauricio Pochettino as their head coach once his contract with the United States national team ends after this summer's World Cup
One-time United States captain Alexi Lalas believes Mauricio Pochettino was a short-term hire by the national team and suggests that their head coach will not remain after this summer's World Cup.
Tottenham Hotspur supporters have repeatedly sung for Pochettino to return since the sacking of Thomas Frank. The former Brentford boss is the fifth permanent coach Spurs have dismissed, barely five years after firing the Argentinian.
Igor Tudor is now the second interim coach during that period, with Christian Stellini and Ryan Mason also having spells as the acting boss. Pochettino's impending availability after this summer's World Cup is well-timed.
Lalas spoke to talkSPORT about Pochettino on Tuesday, and the player-turned-pundit said: "A lot of us have been under the assumption, and I think fairly so, that this was a short-term hire.
"There wasn't a [four-year World Cup] cycle involved, [it was] a year and a half, two years, at the most here. [He] didn't have to go through a qualifying process because we are hosting.
Pochettino's appointment was made, according to Lalas, "with the eye to do something that we haven't seen before." The US finished third at the first World Cup in 1930, as one of 13 teams, but they have reached the quarter-finals only once since, in 2002.
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Lalas recalls: "Back in 2002, we were arguably a handball away from possibly going to a semi-final of a World Cup." He then reiterates: "So doing things that we haven't seen before."
Continuing to speculate about Pochettino's future, Lalas said: "Once this is done, if it goes great, we'll build statues to him; if it doesn't, he's going to have plenty of offers, because I think he is sought after, because he is quality. And I think he will go back.
"We've already heard, a couple of weeks ago, he did an interview where he was talking about his goals relative to winning the Champions League and winning a Premier League title and how that would happen. So I think this is short-term, and that's OK; if we get the best out of him, then we will send him on his merry way."
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Lalas references what Pochettino said during an appearance with long-time assistant Jesus Perez on episode 391 of The High Performance Podcast. Asked what trophy he would most like to win in his career, the Argentine explained: "For me, Champions League and Premier League.
"Of course, the World Cup, but the Champions League and Premier League, for me, are things that I don't know how, but I'm going to achieve for sure. I don't know in which club".
In response to the question: "Do you really believe that one day you will win the Premier League as a manager?" Pochettino said "yes" twice before the interviewer Jake Humphrey finished speaking, and added a third once he had.
He explained: "Champions League is amazing because it's a dream, too, like a World Cup. But the Premier League, because we really love English football and because football was born here, we were so lucky to spend a lot of time in Wembley, it's an amazing stadium.
"I think we deserve, Jesus, I think we deserve, and we are going to try, and for sure we are going to get. In which club? I don't know, I cannot tell you because I don't have a club, I don't own a club. But we are now in our best moment, like our coaching staff."
Asked whether he is the best manager he has ever been, Pochettino said: "I think so."