Mauricio Pochettino, head coach of the United States men's national soccer team, has expressed a desire to return to Tottenham Hotspur someday.
The Argentina-born coach noted in an interview with the British media 'TalkSport' on the 14th that "I have thought about wanting to return since the day I left Tottenham," revealing a positive stance on a potential return.
Pochettino became the manager of Tottenham after leaving Southampton in 2014. He led the team for five and a half years until his dismissal in November 2019, competing at the top of the Premier League. His teams finished as runners-up and in third place in the Premier League during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons, respectively. In the 2018-2019 season, he reached the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final, achieving the club's best results in history.
He demonstrated strengths in nurturing young players, helping the development of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Son Heung-min.
Under Pochettino's guidance, Son Heung-min struggled to adapt in his first season but established himself as a key attacker, scoring double-digit goals from the 2016-2017 season. Notably, during the UCL quarterfinals in the 2018-2019 season, he scored multiple goals against Manchester City, greatly contributing to the team's advancement to the final. At that moment, Pochettino warmly embraced Son, praising him by saying, "You did it. You are a world-class player."
However, Tottenham under Pochettino faced a serious slump in the 2019-2020 season. Key reinforcements were not made during the summer transfer window of 2019, and injuries within the squad led to a sharp decline in performance at the start of the season. The team managed only three wins over 12 matches in the Premier League, falling to 14th place. The Champions League performances were also underwhelming.
Ultimately, Tottenham dismissed Pochettino in November 2019 and appointed Jose Mourinho as the new head coach.
In this interview, Pochettino said, "I felt like there were unfinished matters when I left Tottenham. So I want to return. Tottenham has always been a special club to me, and if given the opportunity, I would like to conclude things in a better way."
Currently, Pochettino is the head coach of the United States men's national soccer team. Appointed in September of last year, he has started with five wins in six matches, showing a stable beginning.
The United States, under his leadership, will face Panama in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Nations League on the 20th.
Pochettino remains a prominent figure in Europe. After leaving Tottenham in 2019, he took over as head coach of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2021 and won the Ligue 1 title. He joined Chelsea as head coach in the summer of 2023 but left the team after one season.
He has experience managing in the Premier League with Southampton (2013-2014), Tottenham (2014-2019), and Chelsea (2023-2024). His tactical flexibility and player management skills have received high praise.
Pochettino has also been frequently linked to the Manchester United managerial position. When asked about this by 'TalkSport,' he deflected the question with a joke and avoided specific mentions. When asked, "Were you interested in the Man Utd manager position?" he laughed and replied, "I can't hear you..."
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