Sports
Mauricio Pochettino stance on Tottenham return as Thomas Frank pressure grows
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is dividing the fanbase amid a poor run of form, with a large portion of supporters calling for the Dane to be dismissed.
Spurs were knocked out of the FA Cup last weekend by Aston Villa, and even though the north Londoners got revenge off the field by hijacking their deal for Conor Gallagher, there’s now zero chance of any domestic silverware this term.
Their 2-1 loss to Unai Emery’s side was a hammer blow for Frank, who watched his side mount an attempted second-half fight back after going 2-0 down in the first period.
Wilson Odobert’s strike just after half-time wasn’t enough for the Lilywhites to claw back any result from the third round tie, with all focus now on qualifying for Europe and a respectful run in the Champions League.
Tottenham now hold positive talks with “genius” 3-4-2-1 Frank replacement
Thomas Frank is under pressure.
It is now far more likely than not Spurs will go trophyless this term after the club were initially expected to kick on from their Europa League triumph under Ange Postecoglou last May.
Frank’s side are also a lowly 14th in the Premier League table, having won just three of their last 14 matches across all competitions, so the pressure is well and truly on Spurs’ boss to arrest this very concerning slide.
If he can’t, then the Lewis family, Vinai Venkatesham and co-sporting director Johan Lange will be making contingency plans behind-the-scenes at the very least — which is normal for any side vastly underperforming.
Exit-bound co-sporting director Fabio Paratici, believe it or not, never wanted Frank in the first place (The Athletic), with the Italian also recently proposing they hire ex-Juventus boss Igor Tudor as an interim boss for the remainder of 2025/2026 (Paul O’Keefe).
This temporary appointment almost certainly wouldn’t have gone down well with Spurs fans, but luckily for them, a fresh report from TEAMtalk this week indicates Tudor is nowhere near their thinking.
According to TT’s information, Spurs have three potential candidates in mind to replace Frank if he’s sacked, and one of them is ex-fan favourite boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Mauricio Pochettino open to taking Tottenham job after World Cup
The Argentine, who guided the club to an unprecedented Champions League final in 2019 with virtually zero financial backing, not to mention a quartet of top four finishes, remains high in Spurs’ thinking.
As per TEAMtalk, it is believed that the ‘high profile’ Pochettino is very much open to replacing Frank at Tottenham, and is ‘receptive’ to a return, but only after the USA’s crunch World Cup campaign on home soil this summer.
A reunion with the 53-year-old would rectify one of ex-chairman Daniel Levy’s most controversial decisions in sacking the ex-PSG boss, and it would be a potentially popular choice despite his decision to briefly manage rivals Chelsea.
The tactician’s proven Premier League experience, not to mention close ties with Spurs, is undoubtedly a serious pull when it comes to re-appointing Pochettino at the helm.
He’s also gained invaluable experience since his surprise N17 exit, including a Ligue 1 title triumph at PSG in 2022, and a decent World Cup run with the USA later this year will only add to his appeal.
Chelsea’s owners, in a joint statement back in 2023, hailed Pochettino as a ‘world-class coach’ with an ‘outstanding track record’, and it is very hard to argue.
“We are delighted that Mauricio will be joining Chelsea,” they said, via ESPN. “Mauricio is a world-class coach with an outstanding track record. We are all looking forward to having him on board.”
If they want to try and tempt Pochettino back to London before the World Cup, they’d have to pay one of the biggest managerial compensation fees in history, so this one may have to wait.
Fabrizio Romano: Player tells Tottenham he wants to leave after “agreement” with club
He could be on the verge of a Lilywhites exit.
