Mauricio Pochettino on Tottenham return: 'I'd have managed Spurs in the Championship'

· Mirror

Mauricio Pochettino admits he would have returned to Tottenham even if they had been relegated to the Championship last season - and why he opted to re-sign with the United States national team

Mauricio Pochettino says he would have taken the Tottenham job - even if they were in the Championship.

United States boss Pochettino confirmed he did get an approach to go back to Spurs last season when the club was stuck in a relegation scrap. But Pochettino insisted he was fully committed to leading the US into the World Cup and has subsequently signed a contract until 2030 because he enjoys the role so much.

When asked if he would have taken the Spurs job in the Championship, said: “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.”

Former Spurs boss Pochettino, who had five years at Tottenham and is still adored by the club’s fans, has said previously that one day he would like to go back.

But Pochettino says the timing has never been right - and that was the case when he got the call after Thomas Frank had been sacked. “Yeah but in this moment they called everyone, they called all the coaches! Free and not free!”

Tottenham had a brief and disastrous spell with Igor Tudor in charge and now Roberto De Zerbi has been charged with reviving the club’s fortunes. But Pochettino, having initially admitted he would like to return to club management, has become further entrenched with his job as US boss and he fell deeper in love with the role during the World Cup.

Pochettino, together with his staff including trusted assistant Jesus Perez, helped joint hosts US top their Group and reach the last 16 before they lost to Belgium. The Ex-Spurs boss says he decided to stay with the US because of the support from the federation and also from the fans during 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.

“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 passion is obvious for the job. He still has affection for Tottenham and even sympathy for former chairman Daniel Levy after he was ousted. “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 admitted that he might consider the England job one day in the future. Yes, even as an Argentinian. Especially after the bad blood following the World Cup semi final.

He said: “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.

“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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