SPURS SACK POCH
SHOCK AS SPURS SACK MANAGER LEVY: POOR RESULTS TO BLAME MOURINHO FAVOURITE FOR JOB
TOTTENHAM last night made the stunning decision to sack boss Mauricio Pochettino, less than six months after they appeared in the Champions League final.
The Argentinian was relieved of his duties after five-and-a-half years in which he transformed the London club into regular contenders at the top of the Premier League and in the latter stages in Europe.
However, Spurs are currently languishing 14th in the table amid rumours of squad unrest and tensions between Pochettino and his players, and also the manager and chairman Daniel Levy.
Indeed, Levy cited poor results at the end of last season and the start of the current campaign as the catalyst for bringing Pochettino’s reign to an end.
‘We were extremely reluctant to make this change and it is not a decision the board have taken lightly, nor in haste,’ he said in a statement.
‘Regrettably domestic results at the end of last season and the beginning of this have been extremely disappointing.
‘It falls on the board to make the difficult decisions – this one made more so given the many memorable moments we have had with Mauricio and his coaching staff – but we do so in the club’s best interests.’
Former Chelsea and Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho, currently out of work, was last night odds-on favourite to replace Pochettino, with Eddie Howe, Massimiliano Allegri, Julian Nagelsmann, Erik ten Hag and Carlo Ancelotti also linked.
However, former Spurs striker Gary Lineker suggested whoever gets the job has a near impossible task, tweeting: ‘He (Pochettino) helped the club to punch massively above their weight for years. Good luck with finding a better replacement.... ain’t gonna happen.’