Mauricio Pochettino wants a return to the Premier League, but exactly where he might immediately fit in remains to be seen. The 47-year-old Argentine, who led Tottenham Hotspur to the Champions League Final in June, and three top three Premier League finished during his five years and change stint at White Hart Lane, was fired this past fall and replaced by Jose Mourinho.
Pochettino has often been linked with a move to several clubs, including Real Madrid and Manchester United, but the latter job won’t be opening up soon; unless disaster strikes. If Poch’s next gig is back in the Premier League, it will most likely not be with a big six club.
To be honest, I would love to work in the Premier League,” Pochettino said to a Sky Sports podcast.
“It’s going to be difficult, I know, and for now it’s a moment to wait and we’ll see what happens. It’s a moment of recovery, to think about yourself a little bit, and to be ready because in football always something can happen and you need to be ready. I’m ready and waiting for a new challenge.”
“I have the belief and confidence that the next challenge will be fantastic.”
United might have a vacancy if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can’t guide the Red Devils to a top six finish, but otherwise the club’s board remain fiercely loyal to the Norwegian. Nevertheless, OGS is the current leader on the “next manager to be sacked” wagering boards, but Crystal Palace’s Roy Hodgson isn’t far behind.
Dean Smith at Aston Villa and Eddie Howe at AFC Bournemouth have favorable odds as well. Given all that he accomplished, Pochettino deserves a step up in his next job, or a lateral move at the absolute least.
He might be ready for a PL return, but it doesn’t seem like the Premiership is totally ready for him at this moment.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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