In November 2019, a couple of weeks after he had been sacked by Tottenham, a forlorn Mauricio Pochettino received an intriguing proposition.
The Argentine wasn’t over his dismissal. For him, the timing wasn’t right. He believed he could have rekindled a struggling team who had reached the Champions League final only a few months earlier.
His sacking alerted Arsenal, who were ready to dismiss Unai Emery. Pochettino was of interest. He was authentic, charismatic and his teams were attractive. There was plenty to like – although there was acknowledgment that his Spurs connections would make the appointment difficult.
Yet it would have been negligent for Arsenal not to explore the possibility. So, in the days after sacking Emery, they did. At the time, Pochettino would not even acknowledge it as an option. He couldn’t.
Joining the Gunners would have been viewed as the ultimate betrayal by many Tottenham fans. And no matter how tempting it might have been to stick two fingers up at a board who had sacked him days earlier, his heart wouldn’t let him. His views on that matter have not changed.
Tottenham can only have themselves to blame if Mauricio Pochettino (left) goes to Chelsea
Pochettino (left) held further talks with Chelsea on Tuesday, as revealed by Mail Sport
Fast forward to today and the prospect of football treachery once again lies at Pochettino’s door.
The image of the former Spurs boss holding up a Chelsea scarf as the cameras flash will send a disaffected Tottenham fanbase into a tailspin.
They love Pochettino and pine for him so much that they still sing his name at the stadium he helped build.
Some will now despise their former idol. But why?
Those disgruntled supporters will point to the unbridled glee Chelsea took from ending their title challenge at the Battle of the Bridge in 2016. They will point to the ‘tapping up’ of Luka Modric on Roman Abramovich’s yacht in 2011. They will point to the way Chelsea stole Willian from under their noses. They will point to 2012 when, having finished fourth, their Champions League dream was ripped away when Chelsea beat Bayern Munich to claim the final English place for the following season.
But if loyalty is at play, those angry fans should consider this: when Pochettino was Tottenham manager he turned down advances from Manchester United and also Real Madrid, who had made him their No 1 target in 2018 and believed they had a good chance of landing him. But Pochettino had only just signed a new contract and felt that walking away would be going back on his word.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy (right) should have heeded Pochettino’s (left) warnings when the Argentine was still at the club and perhaps they would not find themselves in limbo now
In 2020, Barcelona showed interest in Pochettino, who was out of work at the time, but his playing connections to their city rivals Espanyol meant he would not consider the Nou Camp.
During contract negotiations, Pochettino discusses his staff’s contracts before his own. And then, there’s the Arsenal episode. Now that’s loyalty.
If that isn’t enough to placate irate Tottenham fans, then what about this? Pochettino has been unemployed since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
Tottenham knew Antonio Conte would not be in charge next season as early as February.
However, there has been no contact, even though a number of senior players and large sections of the fanbase want him to return.
Disgruntled Tottenham fans would see it as an act of betrayal if the Argentine joined Chelsea
Pochettino turned down advances of Man United and Real Madrid when he was at Tottenham
Even now, with Pochettino set to join one of their fiercest rivals, there has not been a peep from Tottenham in his direction. Why should Pochettino show any loyalty to Spurs when they haven’t shown any to him?
When Pochettino pleaded with chairman Daniel Levy to build on the success of reaching the Champions League final with top-level additions, his words fell on deaf ears. Levy should have heeded Pochettino’s warnings.
When plotting his return following his PSG departure, Pochettino and his trusted aide Jesus Perez detailed what they wanted from their next project: a club that provided them with the conditions to win trophies.
But they also wanted a club dedicated to nurturing young players good enough for the first team, a club aligned with their holistic vision.
It was partly why they were tempted by an offer from Aston Villa earlier this season. They were impressed with owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens’ vision and investment plans for Villa but eventually felt the project represented too much of a risk for them.
That is why Chelsea are appealing. The club is built for success and the owners are committed to ensuring this season’s difficulties are a one-off.
Chelsea will get a manager in Pochettino who loves London life and is recharged and ready to go (pictured, club’s owners Behdad Eghbali, left, and Todd Boehly, right)
After his Spurs sacking, Pochettino was unable to enjoy his time away from the sport. He had only been out of work a few months when Covid struck and prevented travel.
Since his Paris exit, he has spent his time between London and Barcelona. He has travelled, recently visiting Japan. He’s had time to refresh.
Yet, during his time away, he has realised how much he loves London life and working in the Premier League. Chelsea will get a manager who is recharged and ready to go.
And Spurs can’t blame anyone but themselves.
