Amid the turmoil surrounding coach Ange Postecoglou, Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Mauricio Pochettino, who shared glory together, met with chairman Daniel Levy.
On the 20th (Korea time), Cut Offside reported that "Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was spotted at a cafe in London with former Tottenham manager Pochettino. Amid ongoing struggles for Tottenham under coach Ange Postecoglou, their meeting is attracting attention."
Earlier, on the 18th, coach Pochettino noted in an interview with Sky Sports, "When I left Tottenham, I said I wanted to return someday. That sentiment hasn’t changed. I am currently managing in the U.S., so I will refrain from further comments, but my love for Tottenham remains strong even as time passes."
He also mentioned that he has maintained a good relationship with chairman Daniel Levy since leaving Tottenham.
Coach Pochettino said, "We shared many moments together over nearly six years. We shared joys as well as difficulties, and there were emotionally tough times too," adding, "We parted ways amicably and consider our professional and personal relationships separately. We have maintained a good relationship since my departure."
Tottenham's struggles this season are serious. Injuries have emerged since the start of the season, causing the team to falter.
Tottenham is 14th in the Premier League with 10 wins, 4 draws, and 15 losses, totaling 34 points. The title race has long since passed. The same goes for other competitions. In the FA Cup, they were eliminated in the round of 32, and in the Carabao Cup, they finished in the semifinals.
The only competition where they still have a chance to win is the UEFA Europa League (UEL). Some predict that if Tottenham fails to win the UEL, coach Postecoglou may be dismissed. One of the names mentioned as a potential successor is coach Pochettino.
Coach Pochettino is an Argentine-born manager. He managed Espanyol and Southampton before joining Tottenham in the 2014-15 season. He led Tottenham to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final in the 2018-19 season, marking a golden era together.
However, the 2019-20 season was disappointing. Ultimately, Tottenham dismissed coach Pochettino and appointed José Mourinho. Since then, Pochettino has managed Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Chelsea, and is currently leading the U.S. national soccer team.
Pochettino took charge of Tottenham in 2014 after leaving Southampton. He led the team for five and a half years until his dismissal in November 2019, competing in the upper echelon of the Premier League. In the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons, he achieved second and third place, respectively. In the 2018-2019 season, he reached the UCL final, achieving the best results in the club's history.
He showed skill in fostering young players, leading the growth of key players such as Harry Kane, Dele Alli, and Son Heung-min. Although Son struggled to adapt during his first season with coach Pochettino, he became a key attacking player starting from the 2016-2017 season, consistently scoring double digits. In the quarterfinals of the UCL in the 2018-2019 season, he made significant contributions, scoring multiple goals against Manchester City to help the team reach the final. At that time, coach Pochettino warmly embraced Son, praising him, "You did it. You are a world-class player."
However, Tottenham fell into a slump in the 2019-2020 season. The summer transfer market did not adequately strengthen the squad, and injuries plagued the team, leading to poor performance. They managed only 3 wins in 12 league matches, dropping to 14th place. They also fell short of expectations in the Champions League. Ultimately, Tottenham dismissed coach Pochettino in November 2019 and appointed José Mourinho as his successor.
Pochettino has since been acknowledged for his leadership in Europe. In 2021, he took the helm at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and secured the Ligue 1 title. He became the manager of Chelsea in the summer of 2023, but left the team after just one season.
On the 18th, according to the UK Metro, coach Pochettino brought up discussions regarding a possible return to Tottenham. He said, "I always remember the interview where I mentioned I wanted to return to Tottenham someday when I left. I am in the U.S., so I won’t discuss that further."
However, there is a high likelihood that coach Pochettino will face a difficult challenge in a different environment than before. Key players he once shared a golden era with, such as Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Kyle Walker, and Hugo Lloris, have all left the team.
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