There have been whispers since the start of the season that something was not right between Mauricio Pochettino and Tottenham. Players complained he was distant from them, and those close to Pochettino felt that he wanted to leave Spurs.
On Tuesday, Daniel Levy and the Spurs board made the decision that after Spurs’s disappointing start to the season, they are in 14th place, that it was time to make a change and fire the man who led the club to the Champions League final six months ago.
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino says he is not worried about the sack despite his side’s poor form.
Spurs lost 3-0 at Brighton on Saturday to compound a miserable week that also saw them thrashed 7-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The club were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by League Two Colchester last month. When asked if he feared for his job, Pochettino said:
“No I am not worried, what worries me is life, not football.”
Speaking at a news conference after Saturday’s game at Amex Stadium, Pochettino said:
Bayern Munich’s date with Real Madrid headlines the International Champions Cup’s U.S. schedule, but there are a number on interesting matches set to take place stateside this summer.
The European giants will meet at NRG Stadium in Houston as they gear up for another lengthy season in multiple competitions. Robert Lewandowski, Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, and Thomas Muller are the marquee names pending they remain with their clubs.
In addition to that match, Real Madrid’s clash with Atletico Madrid on July 26 in MetLife Stadium will be the first Madrid derby outside of Europe. Other highlights include Real Madrid vs. Arsenal and Bayern Munich vs. AC Milan.
An emotional Mauricio Pochettino was reduced to tears on the pitch at the full-time whistle after Tottenham booked their place in the Champions League final.
Lucas Moura broke through in the 96th minute to score his and Spurs’ third on Wednesday night to complete an incredible comeback at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
After running onto the pitch, Pochettino collapsed to his knees in a heap before crying tears of joy after masterminding a stunning comeback from three-goals down with just 45 minutes of game-time to do so.
The Argentinian boss was unable to give his reaction immediately after the game before having to calm himself down the tunnel.
Jurgen Klopp admitted Liverpool got lucky as their title challenge gathered fresh momentum on a dramatic day at Anfield.
Liverpool moved back to the top of the table with a 2-1 win over a Tottenham team that has now failed to win in the Premier League since February 10 but those simple facts do not begin to tell the story of remarkable encounter.
Tottenham were the better team for long periods of the second half and had opportunities to inflict Liverpool’s first home defeat since April 2017 but they ended up conceding a last minute own goal when Hugo Lloris inexplicably fumbled Mohamed Salah’s tame header.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino says the winning a domestic trophy will not help Spurs reach the “last level” after seeing his team knocked out of a second domestic cup competition in four days.
A side sporting seven changes from the Carabao Cup semi-final defeat by Chelsea on Thursday was knocked out of the FA Cup 2-0 at the hands of Crystal Palace, leaving Spurs, wounded by fatigue and injury, to concentrate on their Champions League tie against Borussia Dortmund and, realistically, a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Arsenal versus Tottenham is one of those few rivalries that rarely disappoint and that was the case at the Emirates on Sunday. This North London derby had everything, goals, a comeback, an imminent boil-over, quality, mistakes and theatre. In the end, nobody will grudge the Gunners their 4–2 win. The game also highlighted that while one team is on the ascendancy, the other is at a risk of stagnating.
Mauricio Pochettino has dismissed speculation he was offered £15 million a year to leave Tottenham and take charge of Real Madrid.
Pochettino has long been touted as a future Madrid manager and speculation over his Spurs future has been rife since last month’s sacking of Julen Lopetegui.
Reports suggested Madrid offered Pochettino a blockbuster deal to succeed Lopetegui, only for the Argentine to turn Los Blancos down.
And Pochettino, who signed a new long-term Tottenham contract this year, addressed the latest speculation when he appeared in front of the media on Thursday.
Tottenham have become the first club to make no new signings in a transfer window since the concept as we know it came into use in 2003.
Daniel Levy promised Mauricio Pochettino new players this summer when he convinced his manager not to join Real Madrid. Then Levy turned around and gave Pochettino no help in a summer when the rest of their title challengers all got stronger.
Spurs’ frugal financial outlook has become commonplace in recent years but failure to do any business this summer has now given them an unwanted place in history.
The Premier League is back! A new season brings fresh optimism and hope for the campaign ahead — but who is going to finish in the top four and grab one of those Champions League places.
I take at a look at the big six and predict where each side will end the season.
MAN CITY
Finish last season: 1st
Points: 100
Manchester City were a joy to watch last season. They were head and shoulders above everyone else in the Premier League as they scored 106 goals and broke the 100 point total.