Pochettino Reveals Tottenham Came Calling During Their Relegation Nightmare
Mauricio Pochettino has dropped a huge revelation that is certain to leave Tottenham Hotspur fans wondering what could have been.
The former Spurs boss has confirmed that Tottenham approached him last season while the club was desperately fighting to avoid one of the most embarrassing moments in its modern history. With the team sinking towards the relegation zone and managers being changed in rapid succession, Spurs reportedly turned to one of the most popular figures of the modern era in an attempt to rescue the situation.
It was a period of unbelievable turmoil at Tottenham.
Thomas Frank had been dismissed in February following a disastrous run of results that left the club dangerously close to the relegation places. Igor Tudor was then handed the responsibility of stabilising the team, but his spell proved equally unsuccessful, with the interim manager failing to win any of his five Premier League matches.
By the end of March, Spurs were just one point above the relegation zone.
Suddenly, the unthinkable was becoming a genuine possibility.
Tottenham, a club with ambitions of competing at the top end of English football, were staring directly at the prospect of dropping into the second tier for the first time in almost half a century.
Tudor lasted only 44 days before being removed, leaving Tottenham scrambling once again for a manager capable of preventing complete disaster.
And according to Pochettino, Spurs eventually came knocking on his door.
The revelation is particularly significant because Tottenham supporters had spent months singing the Argentine’s name from the stands. Many fans wanted their former manager back, believing that his emotional connection with the club and previous success could help pull Tottenham away from danger.
Pochettino, however, was already committed to the United States national team and preparing for the World Cup.
That timing ultimately proved decisive.
“The problem was that the timings were never the best,” Pochettino explained.
The Argentine revealed that when he was available and potentially open to returning to Tottenham, the club did not contact him. But when Spurs finally made their approach, he was already working and unable to walk away from his responsibilities.
It was, in his words, simply a case of terrible timing.
“Maybe one day the stars will align, and it can happen,” Pochettino admitted.
Those words will undoubtedly reignite speculation among Tottenham supporters about whether a second Pochettino era could still happen one day.
The 54-year-old remains one of the most beloved managers in Tottenham’s recent history. During his first spell, he transformed Spurs into serious Premier League contenders, overseeing two title challenges and guiding the club to the Champions League final in 2019.
His departure left a huge emotional void, and supporters have continued to dream about his return.
Pochettino insisted, however, that there was nothing particularly unusual about Tottenham contacting him during their crisis. With Frank and Tudor unable to turn things around, the club was under enormous pressure to find a long-term solution.
“They called everyone, they called all the coaches. Free and not free,” Pochettino said.
That statement perhaps explains just how desperate Tottenham had become.
Eventually, Spurs settled on Roberto De Zerbi, negotiating a five-year contract with the Italian after previously facing doubts over whether he would accept the job.
But Pochettino’s revelation raises a fascinating question: what if he had been available?
Would his return have transformed Tottenham’s fortunes? Could he have restored the confidence and identity that supporters associate with his previous reign?
For now, those questions will remain unanswered.
Pochettino made it clear that if he had been free when Tottenham called, he would have returned.
“If I was free, of course I come,” he said.
But he wasn’t.
He was preparing for the World Cup with the United States, while Tottenham were fighting for their Premier League survival.
Once again, the stars simply failed to align.
And for Spurs fans who still dream of seeing Pochettino back in the Tottenham dugout, his latest comments could provide both excitement and frustration because the door may not be completely closed after all.
