Mauricio Pochettino tipped for Tottenham return four months after Chelsea exit
Mauricio Pochettino could make a sensational return to Tottenham. That is according to ex-Spurs star Danny Rose, who says he was convinced his former coach would fill the vacant managerial spot at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last summer before Ange Postecoglou's appointment.
On Tuesday, Pochettino was announced as the US national team's new head coach ahead of the 2026 World Cup, making a Tottenham homecoming in the near future unlikely. The Argentinian, 52, also burned a few bridges by taking a job at rivals Chelsea last year, but Rose thinks it'll be water under the bridge if Spurs ever reach out to him again.
"I definitely thought that pre-Chelsea, [Mauricio] Pochettino could return to Tottenham," Rose said on the In The Zone podcast. "I don't think that him going to Chelsea for a year hinders that happening again in the future.
"Although it's another [two] years until the next World Cup and hopefully, he's going to see it out with managing the USA. Of course, anything can happen in the next four years, but before he went to Chelsea, I thought it was nailed on that he probably would have gone to Spurs before Ange. I still believe that he will return to Tottenham as manager one day."
Pochettino spent five-and-a-half years as Tottenham boss. Appointed in 2014, he quickly silenced doubters; as Tottenham's 10th gaffer in a dozen years, many predicted a brief stay.
Under his stewardship, the Lilywhites emerged as Premier League challengers within just a season, and he transformed figures like Harry Kane and Dele Alli into household names. His efforts paid off, earning Tottenham second spot in the 2016/17 Premier League a pinnacle not reached for over five decades and a memorable final campaign at the old White Hart Lane without defeat.
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His tenure peaked with the unforgettable journey to the Champions League final in 2019, although that match ended in heartbreak against Liverpool. He was sacked just five months later.
Rose, 34, was a mainstay in Pochettino's side throughout his stint in north London. The former England international made over 200 appearances for Spurs - the bulk of which came under Pochettino.
After leaving Tottenham, Pochettino was appointed head coach of PSG in January 2021. There, he won the Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France, but he lasted less than 18 months in the job.
In 2023 he joined Chelsea in a move that many Spurs fans viewed as a betrayal. However, he only lasted one season at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues opting to part ways with the former Espanyol defender back in May.