Mauricio Pochettino has revealed he would have accepted the Tottenham Hotspur job — even if the club had been playing in the EFL Championship.
U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Pochettino confirmed he did receive an approach to return to Spurs last season when the club was embroiled in a relegation battle. However, Pochettino stressed he was fully committed to steering the U.S. into the FIFA World Cup and has since signed a contract through 2030 due to his deep satisfaction with the position.
When asked whether he would have accepted the Spurs job in the Championship, he stated, via The Mirror: “Yes, of course. Tottenham? Yes, of course. It’s the only club that always I am open to help. Whatever division. Another club, no. But Tottenham, yes.”
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Former Spurs manager Pochettino, who spent five years at Tottenham and remains beloved by the club’s supporters, has previously indicated his desire to one day return to the North London club.
However, Pochettino maintains the timing has never aligned — and that was the situation when he received the call following Thomas Frank’s dismissal. “Yeah, but in this moment they called everyone, they called all the coaches! Free and not free!”
Tottenham endured a brief and disastrous stint under Igor Tudor before Roberto De Zerbi was appointed to revitalize the club’s fortunes. Yet Pochettino, having initially expressed a desire to return to club management, has grown increasingly committed to his role as USMNT boss, developing an even deeper passion for the position throughout the World Cup.
Pochettino, alongside his backroom staff including trusted assistant Jesus Perez, helped joint hosts the U.S. top their group and advance to the Round of 16 before falling to Belgium. The former Spurs manager revealed he chose to remain with the USMNT due to the backing from the federation as well as the overwhelming support from supporters throughout the tournament.
Pochettino said: “One thing that changed our mind: the people. The human beings in the federation. Because before the start of the World Cup we met the whole board, the federation board in New York, before starting working with the players in Atlanta.
To listen to the latest episode of ‘All Out Soccer’ – USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino claims he
“And they offered us to do four more years. I said, ‘Yeah but if we lose all the games in the World Cup…’ But they said, ‘No, we trust in you, we trust in your job, we trust in your vision, in the way that you behave. You stayed here when it was possible to move somewhere else.’
“When we finished the World Cup, our vision was completely different because we created something. The fans were amazing. The people were so excited. The players changed their mindset. After one week, the federation called and we said, ‘We are ready for it.'”
His enthusiasm for the role is unmistakable. He retains a fondness for Tottenham and even extends sympathy toward former chairman Daniel Levy following his removal from the club. “I think he feels like [I did] when I was sacked! Now he knows the feeling,” said Pochettino. “I am sorry for him.”
Pochettino even conceded that he might one day entertain the idea of taking charge of the England national team. Remarkably, this comes despite being Argentinian — and the lingering tensions stemming from the World Cup semi-final.
He stated: “One thing I don’t want, because the USA guys will kill me, if the headline is: ‘Mauricio will consider English job.’ No, it is like I am considering it now. One day if I am free.
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“For me it is because we are very similar in the way we feel the passion of football. I think we are very similar. I love the countryside, I love the farms, and here it is amazing. I think you respect all the things that I also grow up with in my country.
“It is true it can be controversial because an Argentinian guy is thinking to maybe one day defend the flag of England and we were involved in a war…”
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