Tottenham are presently in the unusual position of chasing down a top four spot minus a manager.
Having featured prominently for some weeks in the next Premier League manager to be sacked odds Antonio Conte inevitably succumbed to type, his overly critical comments about his side and the board leaving him nowhere to go but the exit door.
Frankly the only surprise was that the Italian stayed as long as he did because all season long the irascible gaffer has been unhappy with his lot, with many Tottenham supporters hardly ecstatic about his residency in return. It was an open secret that Conte planned to leave this summer.
So for the second time in two years, Spurs face a tough run-in with an interim boss at the helm, the previous occasion of course resulting from Jose Mourinho’s sacking, another coach hardly shy in talking down the club and blaming everyone for its failings but himself.
Add in the disastrous and short stint of Nuno Espirito Santo and you have to say that Daniel Levy’s choice of managers in recent years has been oddly awry.
Even overlooking the character flaws inherent in two of them, all three favoured a conservative playing style that was a distinctly poor fit for Spurs.
The one time when the divisive chairman did get it right – and spectacularly so – was in appointing Mauricio Pochettino back in 2014, the Argentine establishing a reciprocal relationship with the fans while forging a brilliantly put-together team that came close to winning a title on two occasions, reaching a Champions League final along the way.
Above and beyond these considerable achievements, this was an era when Spurs fans felt immeasurably bonded to their side, proud of the front-foot, adventurous mandate that Pochettino implemented and furthermore grateful for the unforgettable moments his team produced.
On that very special May evening in Amsterdam, when Tottenham came from three goals down on aggregate to secure a Champions League final at the death what we saw was a manager, team and fan-base as one, all living their best lives.
Naturally therefore, so many of that fan-base are desperate for Pochettino to return, the away end at Goodison this week ringing out his name, making it plain to the club’s board that he has their vote.
Evidently, what they want is to put three-and-a-half years of stultifying mediocrity down as a prolonged and unfortunate aberration and go again.
Given the drudgery of the Conte / Stellini Spurs, it is easy to see why the idea of Mauricio Pochettino's return is so seductive for their fans. He is a symbol of the things they have lost: https://t.co/nXpII1qSs9
— Richard Jolly 🇺🇦 (@RichJolly) April 4, 2023
As for the man himself, it is now approaching a year since PSG dispensed with his services – a period that has seen him flirt with the Manchester United vacancy – and for sure he is ready to get back in the technical area. To finish what he began in North London would greatly appeal to him.
It is a surprise then to learn, via various reports, that Spurs have four candidates in mind, none of whom is their former prodigal son. A reputable source even puts Brendan Rodgers in the frame following his dismissal at Leicester.
One of the oldest sayings in the game is you should never go back but in this instance, for all concerned, Poch heading back to Tottenham makes sense.
A coterie of the club’s most seasoned and influential players – namely Lloris, Dier, Son and Kane – enjoyed their best football under the Argentine and would be delighted at being reunited.
Moreover, their sliding price in the Premier League betting would surely be boosted by the feel-good factor his reinstalment would bring.
Perhaps though, that is precisely why this recoupling won’t occur. Because it makes such sense.
Tottenham have been in scant supply of that for some time now.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
