In recent sports news, Mauricio Pochettino, United States national team manager, has dismissed rumors about his potential return to Tottenham. Despite speculations linking him back to his former club following the sacking of Ange Postecoglou, Pochettino has stated that a return at this point is "not realistic".
Ange Postecoglou was relieved of his duties as manager on Friday despite leading the club to their first piece of silverware in 17 years with a victory in the Europa League. The 59-year-old's departure sparked rumors about possible replacements. Pochettino, who had an impressive five-year stint at Tottenham before leaving in November 2019, was among those linked with a return. However, he has ruled himself out of contention for the position.
The Argentine tactician was appointed as US manager in October 2024 and expressed satisfaction with his new role. His comments came after a disappointing defeat by Turkey in Connecticut - marking it as their third straight loss under his leadership. Despite this setback and having only five wins from nine matches since taking charge, Pochettino remains committed to turning things around for Team USA.
World Cup and beyond
The United States is set to host the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico - an event that will undoubtedly be high on Pochettino’s agenda during his tenure.
Mauricio Pochettino, USA manager, said:
"Today it's not realistic. Look where I am. Look where we (his backroom staff) are. The answer is so clear. I think, since I left in 2019, my name has always been on the list [of rumours].
"I've seen the rumours, we are 100 coaches on the list. Don't be worried about that. If something happens [in the future], you for sure will see, but I am so happy in this moment and we cannot talk about this type of thing."
During his time at Spurs based in north London, he led them to significant achievements including reaching the final of Champions League in 2019 and securing second place finish in Premier League back in 2017.
Potential successors at Tottenham
With Pochettino out of consideration for now, Brentford manager Thomas Frank and Fulham coach Marco Silva have emerged as leading contenders to replace Postecoglou.
In other Tottenham news, Wales defender Ben Davies has extended his contract with the club until the summer of 2026. The 32-year-old left-back is currently Spurs' longest-serving senior player, having made a remarkable 358 appearances for the north London side in all competitions.
While Pochettino's return to Tottenham would have been an exciting prospect for fans, it seems that he is firmly focused on his current role with Team USA. As such, Tottenham will need to look elsewhere for their next manager as they seek to build on their recent Europa League success.
