Is 'Son Heung-min's mentor' Mauricio Pochettino (53) considering a return to Tottenham?
Tottenham lost 0-2 to Fulham in the '2024-25 Premier League Round 29' held at Craven Cottage in London on the 16th. With 34 points, Tottenham has fallen to 14th in the league.
Manager Ange Postecoglou took the bold step of benching Son Heung-min. This was a measure to focus on the UEFA Europa League rather than the already troubled Premier League. Additionally, it was to manage Son Heung-min’s involvement ahead of his call-up for the national team during the A-match break.
However, the result was the worst. Tottenham brought Son Heung-min on at the start of the second half, which was 0-0. Nevertheless, Tottenham displayed their worst performance, losing 0-2.
After the match, Son Heung-min was seen in a state of frustration. Manager Postecoglou approached and tapped his shoulder to console him, but the disappointment over the defeat was apparent.
Fans could no longer wait and exploded with frustration. There is a strong call for the immediate dismissal of Manager Postecoglou. It is hard to accept 14th place for Tottenham, which was once a top team in the Premier League.
Amid rumors of Postecoglou's dismissal, opinions are divided on who the next manager will be. There are suggestions that Pochettino, who led Tottenham from 2014 to 2019 and helped make Son Heung-min a star, should come back.
Pochettino has been leading the U.S. national team since September 2024 and is still in charge. His contract runs until the 2026 North America World Cup. There is great interest in how far he can lead the host country on the biggest stage.
Recently, Pochettino noted, "Deep down, I want to return to Tottenham someday. It’s not for pride, but I want to win with Spurs someday. We were so close to winning but didn't achieve it, which was painful. I spent almost five and a half years at Tottenham. We played in the Champions League and were contenders in the Premier League," reflecting on his time.
In fact, Pochettino has been named the best manager to lead Tottenham in the 21st century. He led Tottenham to its first-ever Champions League final in the 2018-19 season and won the London Football Awards 'Manager of the Year.'
If Pochettino, who understands Son Heung-min better than anyone, returns, the burden on Captain Son Heung-min could lighten considerably. Pochettino is still said to enjoy the favor of Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy.
However, it is unlikely that Pochettino will resign from the U.S. national team and come to Tottenham immediately. The Sun reported, "President Donald Trump asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino whether the U.S. has a chance of winning the World Cup. Infantino replied, 'Yes,'" conveying the immense expectations placed on Manager Pochettino.
The Sun noted, "As an Argentine, Pochettino must go through an immigration process that lasts more than an hour and a half every time he enters the U.S. President Trump has no intention of granting permanent residency to a foreigner like Pochettino," suggesting that Pochettino may leave the U.S. someday.
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