US football coach Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham Hotspur return ‘not realistic’

WASHINGTON – United States coach Mauricio Pochettino played down speculation about a return to his former club Tottenham Hotspur after the English Premier League side sacked Ange Postecoglou, saying it was not a realistic option at this stage.

Spurs

dismissed Postecoglou on June 6

, 16 days after the 59-year-old Australian guided them to a first major trophy in 17 years with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final.

It was the club’s first European prize in 41 years and also helped secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

But the north London club also endured their worst domestic season for nearly half a century, finishing one place above the Premier League’s relegation zone after losing 22 games.

Pochettino, 53, guided Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final and turned them into Premier League title contenders as they finished in the top four for four straight seasons before he was fired in 2019.

“After I left in 2019, every time that I was free, and the place of the position of the manager or head coach in Tottenham Hotspur, my name is appearing on the list,” Pochettino told reporters after the US were defeated 2-1 by Turkey in a friendly match in Connecticut on June 7.

Several managers have been linked to the Spurs job, including Brentford boss Thomas Frank, Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner and Fulham’s Marco Silva, with the club searching for a fifth full-time manager in six years.

“If you have seen the rumours, I think there are 100 coaches in the list. I think, don’t be worried about that,” he added.

The Argentinian, who

left his position as Chelsea manager in May 2024

after one season in charge, has a big job on his hands, having been tasked with leading the US at the 2026 World Cup, which the country will co-host with Canada and Mexico.

The former Espanyol, Southampton and Paris Saint-Germain coach

signed a two-year contract with the United States in September 2024

.

“If something happened, for sure you will see, but we cannot talk about this type of thing, because I think today, it’s not real. It’s not realistic. And look at where I am, where we are. And the thing is, the answer is so clear, no?” he said.

The US will next host Switzerland in a friendly in Nashville, Tennessee on June 10, as they look to avoid a fourth straight loss following defeats by Panama and Canada in March’s Concacaf Nations League.

However, Pochettino was upbeat about his team’s encouraging display after question marks about the attitude of his team in recent games.

“This attitude I want to continue for the future until we arrive to the World Cup... that is the only way we can improve,” he said.

“If I decide in September (to have a) different roster, what I want is the same level of commitment, attitude, not to complain (about) this and that.” REUTERS, AFP