Why Poch must NOT go to Real

FoR Tottenham, for Mauricio Pochettino, this is a moment in time. That’s all it is. The embarrassing state of the Wembley pitch against Manchester City, the empty upper tier, the tumbleweed transfer window, the travails at home and in europe. It is a snapshot of one difficult season, no more.

obviously, it is frustrating: but it is still not the reason to jump ship for Real Madrid.

If Tottenham were stuck in the era of selling their best players each year, that would be different; if Pochettino felt Daniel Levy had deliberately misled him over the new stadium, and always knew Tottenham would be at Wembley for the best part of two years, he would be right to feel betrayed; and if the club had not tried to do transfer business this summer, Pochettino could rightly claim his best advice was ignored. yet none of that is happening. Tottenham have made mistakes, yes; the club have suffered misfortune beyond their control, true. But the project exists, visible and viable, with Pochettino integral to it.

Could the same be said of Real Madrid? No.

Pochettino would be just another hired hand, passing through. If it didn’t work he could be gone in months, like Julen Lopetegui.

even if it did work, Madrid’s standards are impossibly demanding. Zinedine Zidane lasted just under two-and-a-half years, in which he won the Champions League three times, and still had to withstand speculation about his job.

Madrid are manager eaters. Since the departure of Vicente del Bosque in 2003, they have had 14, only three of whom have made it past 100 matches, with only two more lasting past 50.

Tottenham cannot afford to be wanton. With the changes the club are making, they need stability, they need a coach with vision and faith in young talent.

Pochettino is perfect for them, the way Arsene Wenger was for Arsenal two decades ago.

It just requires patience to get through this year.

MAyBe

Pochettino does not fancy the longest of long terms.

For a foreign coach, Wenger’s shift at Arsenal was unique. But even short term, there is still so much to do. Win a trophy, obviously. In its own way, it is surprising that serially successful Madrid are so keen on a manager who has a record of improving teams, without receiving that ultimate vindication.

yet there is more to the Tottenham project than just that. The club must be guided to their new stadium and settled in. They need a manager who understands the singular demands. Pochettino is that man, in a way he could never be at the Bernabeu.

Real Madrid do not have a plan beyond winning everything. And if the manager can’t win everything, the manager goes.

The gloom that surrounds Tottenham for now isn’t permanent. It is not as if they are going to be playing on an NFL pitch in front of empty seats 12 months from now. This is one setback — albeit hardly a small one — in what has otherwise been an extraordinarily positive journey.

Pochettino spoke of being at a low ebb coming into this week, but only heightened expectations have made that so.

By now, he hoped to be in a new stadium, with new players, and challenging for the title. So he’s disappointed. But Madrid can leave a man unfulfilled too.

Ask Julen Lopetegui, and a queue of others.