Is Mauricio Pochettino the Right Man for the Job?

Pochettino could evoke strong emotions among Tottenham supporters should he return as manager after four years away, yet is this the right person for the job?

Pochettino took over at Spurs in 2014 and led them to an unprecedented Champions League final appearance in 2019, before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. He has stated his interest in returning to North London should another opportunity present itself.

Mauricio Pochettino on returning to Tottenham

Pochettino will surely be at the center of attention when Tottenham take on Chelsea on Monday night, following 18 months since being fired by chairman Daniel Levy and taking on Conte for the first time since.

Pochettino insists he will enjoy his return, regardless of how the club receives him. He considers Tottenham genuine Premier League title contenders this season and joked that meeting London rivals might feel like running into old flames.

Levy had planned to reunite Pochettino with Spurs following his disappointing time in Paris, yet he was abruptly dismissed shortly before their Champions League final defeat to Liverpool. Instead, Levy hired Greek-Australian Ange Postecoglou instead who has proved an effective manager with Tottenham currently sitting top of the Premier League after only 10 games played.

Pochettino on a special but strange moment

On Monday night, former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino will make his return to their stadium since leaving in 2019 in an London derby against them. Pochettino led Spurs from 2014 until 2019, helping turn them into perennial top-four contenders and leading them all the way to their first Champions League final, coming second place overall.

But he was eventually fired in November 2021 and went on to lead Paris Saint-Germain to victory in Ligue 1 and Coupe de France before taking over at Chelsea this summer. Now 51-year-old, it remains to be seen what kind of welcome awaits him when he takes over there this summer.

Pochettino believes a return to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be "really special", using his experience to aid Chelsea, currently 11th in the Premier League table and having missed 57 big chances so far this season - far off from reaching top four status.

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Pochettino on the crowd

On Monday, Mauricio Pochettino will return to London and will likely face criticism from Tottenham supporters as he takes charge of their archrivals. As his success at Paris Saint-Germain helped them claim a first ever Ligue 1 championship, Pochettino has grown used to this type of response from former supporters.

He insists he won't allow that to ruin the occasion when Tottenham visit Chelsea in the Premier League on February 14. For him it will be "really special" to return to a club he led for four years until being fired by them in November 2019.

He compares it to meeting an ex-girlfriend and laughs off this analogy with a smile. Additionally, he believes Tottenham should be taken seriously as title contenders; since 1961 they have not won their premiership but he believes they have every capability of going all the way.

Pochettino on the players

Son's tweet and Ben Davies' quotes after Wales beat Moldova have both offered heartwarming tributes to Pochettino from Spurs players - it serves as a poignant reminder of his unique bond with them and that affection still remains strong between all parties involved.

Fans find it strange that fans would desire a return of a manager who lost three semi-finals and two finals at Tottenham during his previous tenure, such as Ange Postecoglou, to develop their squad. Logic dictates that Tottenham should look for proven winners like him to build up their squad.

Daniel Levy reportedly has no interest in having Pochettino return and would prefer Brentford's Thomas Frank or Feyenoord manager Arne Slot as their new manager instead, which can be understandable given their lack of trophy success since his departure. Even so, yearning remains as the desire stems more from emotion than logic.

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