Ange Postecoglou sends message to Mauricio Pochettino after ex-Spurs boss vowed to return
Under-pressure Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has insisted he doesn't feel threatened by much-loved ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino saying he wants to return to the club one day
Ange Postecoglou insists Mauricio Pochettino is welcome to come back to Tottenham. Under-pressure Postecoglou says he “did not feel disrespected” by Pochettino saying that he wants to return to Spurs in the future.
United States boss Pochettino, who led the club to a Champions League final in 2019, told Mirror Football that “in the bottom of his heart” he wants to return and “one day win with Tottenham.” Pochettino remains a firm favourite with Tottenham fans and his comments did not go down well in all quarters of the club and they could be seen as turning up the heat on Postecoglou whose long term future is in major doubt.
Tottenham have lost 15 games in the Premier League this season which is more than half their 29 games played and they are clinging to the Europa League as their last remaining hope of silverware.
Spurs boss Postecoglou, whose side go to bitter rivals Chelsea on Thursday night, said: “Mauricio, if he wants to come back one day, I hope it happens for him. We all have dreams and aspirations, if that’s what he wants.
“You’re suggesting that he’s trying to put pressure on me? Well, I don’t feel disrespected. I think if you ask Mauricio that question directly, you’d get a pretty clear answer as to what his intent was.
“Again, nothing from me to sort of be consumed with. I’m more focused on trying to make sure we win tomorrow night.”
Postecoglou is under mounting pressure at Tottenham with Pochettino getting heavily linked as well Fulham boss Marco Silva and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, who is another potential target.
Postecoglou has been forced to defend his methods repeatedly this season with mounting dissent coming from the stands. He remains utterly committed to his playing style and still believes he can turn things around after Spurs’ injury woes eased.
“There’s no doubt there’s probably a large portion of Tottenham fans who have lost a bit of faith and belief in what we’re doing,” he admitted. “They were encouraged by what they saw last year but that certainly hasn’t manifested itself this year.
“I still am really optimistic and bullish about the squad we’ve got. I think there will be enormous growth in them once we can navigate through this. Surviving tough times can be such a strong uniter of people.”
Spurs head to Stamford Bridge on Thursday sitting 14th in the Premier League, a whopping 15 points adrift of Chelsea. Dreams of a top-four finish are long gone, with their hopes of European qualification resting solely on the Europa League, where they face Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of the quarter finals on April 10.