Former boss Mauricio Pochettino has given his verdict on the current situation of Tottenham.
The focus for Tottenham Hotspur remains avoiding relegation to the Championship, with four games remaining.
Roberto De Zerbi certainly has a big task on his hands, but many of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful will be hoping the Italian can pull off a great escape and keep his side in the Premier League. There have been signs of improvement across three games, with Spurs picking up four points from the last two fixtures. They grabbed the first win of the De Zerbi era last weekend by beating Wolves 1-0 at Molineux.
The win over Wolves has seen talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara make a U-turn and predict his former club Tottenham to remain in the top flight. Now, with four games remaining and Spurs sitting 18th on 34 points, two behind West Ham, De Zerbi and Co. next travel to Villa Park to face Aston Villa.
Mauricio Pochettino issues Tottenham relegation verdict
Mauricio Pochettino, who managed Tottenham from 2014 through to 2019, had been heavily linked with a move back to North London after his current deal with the United States expires following this summer’s World Cup. De Zerbi’s appointment on a long-term contract in March means the Argentine is unlikely to make a move back to Spurs any time soon, unless the Italian tactician departs and vacates the position.
Under Mauricio Pochettino, the Lilywhites enjoyed one of their most successful periods in modern history with top-four finishes and regular Champions League football. The situation has, however, slowly worsened since his sacking in 2019. It was hoped that the club would build on last year’s Europa League success, but several wrong decisions off the pitch has left Tottenham now scrambling for top-flight survival.
Appearing on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, Pochettino opened up on Tottenham’s current situation. The South American tactician said he feels “really sad” watching his former club stuck in a relegation dogfight, whilst hinting at a return to White Hart Lane in the future.
“I really love Tottenham,” Pochettino said on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast.
“It’s going to be a part of my life, an important part of my life as a coach, my personal life too.
“It’s really sad because I know how the people are suffering there, inside the club and also the fans. It’s difficult to accept.”
Pochettino will lead the USMNT to the World Cup in North America this June but is open about his desire to one day return to the Premier League.
“One day, yes, because I really like England. I think my profile, my human profile and my coaching profile match very well with the Premier League,” he added.
Pochettino is still adored by the Tottenham fans after what he did at the club across five seasons. Since his departure, the North London club have failed to find stability, which is reflected in their hiring seven permanent managers, including their latest appointment of De Zerbi.
Tottenham must focus on finding stability and identity again, with the Hotspur Way bosses hoping that they have finally stumbled upon the right coach and personality in De Zerbi.