The Mauricio Pochettino thread

[fortworthspur]

pretty clear Levy has to step up and give Poch what he needs to stay interested in the job. Not sure what that is but in part it has to be enough money to get some better players. Im sure he knows we cant spend like City or Pool or Chelsea but Poch knows he's gotten as much out of the current model as he wants. He's good enough to expect better and if Levy doesnt match his ambition he will leave.

 

[Carson35]

And yet we keep hearing that the money was there in the summer but it was Poch who didn't want to spend.

I assume the truth is somewhere in the middle, and Poch didn't want to spend money on the players being offered to him as affordable.

I doubt if it is even true that Poch didn't want to spend unless if I hear that from his own mouth. If it's just speculation, then I won't take it serious.

 

[shoggy33]

I don't think this could be any clearer- he can't take the club any further as it's currently run. He knows he's bullet proof with the fans and media right now (hence him saying it now), so if he does go the world will know it's because the owners weren't prepared to step up. This summer very much feels like a make or break moment in our history.

 

[ohtottenham!]

He’s earned the absolute right to say what he has in the way he has; and he’s been very patient with the lack of player investment.

Think he’s pretty unequivocal about what he wants, and I think almost every Spurs fan agrees with him. Actual football is why we’re Spurs fans.

Poch’s been the biggest advocate for the game he loves, for the club, for the team, and especially for the fans.

Really glad to hear what he said. It seemed like a simple, “What is the plan on the football side going forward?”

A CL final and consistent Top 4 in the context of our rivals’ spending…keeping the squad happy throughout. He’s blown away all expectations.

He’s fucking uber-achieved! The CL final! I’ll mention it again, because we’ve never got there before. Really hope the club back him.

 

[Krule]

Levy surely has to back Poch now ?? If he doesn't and Poch leaves then his own position becomes untenable...the fans would go mental !! He'd be a bigger villain than Darth Vader.....

 

[TH1239]

Between 2017 and 2020, the club will earn upwards of 240 million pounds in Champions League revenue. In the last three years, the club has benefitted massively from the increase in television rights deals, including international rights deals that are slated to increase even further in coming years. The overall value of the club has exploded and is almost certainly now well over 1 billion pounds. The club is earning millions of pounds of free advertising worldwide from the squad's Champions League run, which will translate to even more commercial opportunities (that's on top of the increased commercial cash the club has brought in since becoming a Champions League side).

So why shouldn't Pochettino demand he be backed to consolidate his squad's position with a big chunk of that surplus Champions League money he helped deliver? Why should he sit back and be expected to deliver titles while being forced to sell to buy with a wage bill that is BY FAR the lowest in the league (38%) when it compared to turnover?

Let's also set down a marker before the start of the transfer window, since I can already foresee lots of arguments about this: proper investment and backing of the manager means adding quality to existing quality in the squad, not just re-investing money from sales of top players into purchases of largely unproven players. I'd be stunned if Pochettino would be satisfied with, for example, selling Eriksen, Alderweireld, Rose, and Trippier for 130 million pounds and buying Grealish, Andersen, Sessegnon, and Gomes for 130 million pounds. If those two top players go, the club has to compensate for that by spending what it takes to replace them with proven quality, in addition to signing additional players to improve the squad in problem areas like central midfield and fullback.

Pochettino won't want a scenario where there is a perception that he's been backed because the club spent money it took in from sales (and expectations rise), but in actuality, the squad is inferior. If that happens, he may be the one to (wrongly) take the blame if we go backwards next season.

 

[Shanks]

I imagine it’s not necessarily about getting players signed, but things like salary payments, bigger funds, contract issues, bigger squad - salary being the main thing here.

Liverpool went from being in our position to althe next level by making 2 big signings. 70 mill on a defender. No doubt a huge salary too.

That’s the next level in my opinion - although not sure Poch would do that given that he has had funds but has chosen not to spend.

It will be interesting to know what he feels the next phase will be.
What will it take for us to become a powerhouse and global brand?

 

[ColdElectric]

Hmmmmm, don’t understand these comments nor why Poch would say them publicly just before we have two massive games - and on the eve of one of them. (Ok so the top 4 job is pretty much done but its not cast iron guaranteed).

What’s to gain by saying this stuff out loud at this very moment in time? And with Poch signing a new 5 year deal last year, I’d have thought THAT was the start of the next chapter. I don’t get why there’s even a suggestion that it needs to be closed when it’s only one fifth of the way through. *confused emoji* (whichever one that is)

 

[GMI]

I don't think this could be any clearer- he can't take the club any further as it's currently run. He knows he's bullet proof with the fans and media right now (hence him saying it now), so if he does go the world will know it's because the owners weren't prepared to step up. This summer very much feels like a make or break moment in our history.

Quite right. I remember George Graham getting the sack for comments to the press relating to how we do business. However, as you say, Poch is far more bullet proofed than George.

Gonna be an interesting couple of months as, either way, change is coming. We either ‘stick’ and lose our Manager or ‘twist’ and try to move to the next level. I hope it’s the latter, I think it will be.

 

[Doctor Dinkey]

Could very well be that in private conversations with him, Baldy has been wishy-washy about what is going to happen in the summer, and Poch wants to force his hands.

I think this is probably what has happened. Now Poch is in a place of real strength, he wants to put big pressure on Levy.
But Levy won't change. If Poch is serious, this is only ending one way, and we'd better all start thinking about who we'd like to replace him.

 

[maltahotspur]

When he talks about sitting down to talk with DL and the club about closing the first chapter and start the next chapter,' he does not say MY next chapter, he says OUR next chapter.

He wants to know whether the club matches his own ambition for us and how we plan to achieve it going forward together.

As a result of his unbelievable mega achievements for us in the last five years, he has well and truly earned that right.
Levy just has to provide him with all the necessary backing. I have no doubt that he will do just that.

 

[-Afri-Coy-]

Not only did Poch do the right thing by coming out and basically laying the marker down for Levy, but I also think he is playing the media just for shits and giggles.

You can’t tell me that after everything this man has achieved on such a tight budget can’t be rewarded with the additions he wants moving forward. It’s pretty clear that Poch has a vision for this club, a vision we all share about becoming one of the best clubs in Europe.

If Levy and ENIC don’t back the man now and he walks, it would be the worst decision they have ever made for this club. Which is exactly why I think they will back him. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Levy and Lewis are not idiots, they are extremely intelligent businessmen. They will not risk losing millions in club value because they wouldn’t invest in the squad, they will likely lose more value than they would have to spend so it makes perfect business sense.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

Get's asked about Harry Kane and walks out of a presser because it's about the team and not the individual ...

Two days later -

Opens up and gives every outlet a chance to put a spin on his words however they choose before a big(ish) game in the league with an under strength side and then probably the biggest game in the clubs history to boot at the turn of next month.

All the talk will be about his future.

This Club is just one long fucking soap opera.

 

[BPR_U16]

MP has started his work but has yet to complete it - he wants his own dynasty, he wants to be remembered forever alongside the great historical names of the club like Arthur Rowe and Bill Nicholson.
To achieve that the dynamics of the club need to change. The purse strings on wages need to be loosened further - currently only 38% turnover, though thats partly because some players like CE and TA never signed their new contracts so are way underpaid.
DL is aware of this, and knows he has to spend - he will back MP because like any goid businessman he knows hiq goid the asset is managing the club
Don't believe anyone can actually realise how much reaching the CL final, never mind potentially winning it, can affect mentality.
We were always selling a long term vision to players, those of high quality generally not into visions they want success now plus the money.
We can now say, look where we were and what we have achieved - now look what we are going to aim for in the next 5 years. Here's the money - be a part of the future.


As a side issue - think DL should give MP and his staff a few of his shares, with caveats, so that they are truly rewarded for the continuation of the development of THFC

 

[maltahotspur]

Hmmmmm, don’t understand these comments nor why Poch would say them publicly just before we have two massive games - and on the eve of one of them. (Ok so the top 4 job is pretty much done but its not cast iron guaranteed).

What’s to gain by saying this stuff out loud at this very moment in time? And with Poch signing a new 5 year deal last year, I’d have thought THAT was the start of the next chapter. I don’t get why there’s even a suggestion that it needs to be closed when it’s only one fifth of the way through. *confused emoji* (whichever one that is)

He has succeeded, against all odds it must be said, to achieve it in one year. Basically, fast forward onto the next chapter. That's how good he is for us.

 

[cider spurs]

Walks in...realises he's mistakenly entered the 'Cluedo' thread.

Professor Plum in the library with a candlestick.

Walks out.

 

[nedley]

Those quotes from Poch are absolutely brilliant. If Levy cooperates and heeds Poch's call, then I'm really excited about what the future holds. It could be a period of serious dominance both in the league and Europe.

The thing that stuck out to me the most was his bit on honesty and transparency. It is very clear that what Poch is calling for is not just spending money, but that Levy needs to change the way he operates. No more prolonged transfers, no deadline day deals, no more 'trying' and then failing by losing out to another club. The lack of communication during the stadium delays is one such example of a lack of transparency.

Poch wants to be here, he wants to build a project, he wants to be our Ferguson. But for all that to happen, it needs to be made tenable. Daniel, the ball's in your court.

Wrong.

Joe Lewis.

It's in the old dinosaurs court.

 

[Indisguise]

Wrong.

Joe Lewis.

It's in the old dinosaurs court.

Actually, it's very possible that Levy's hands are as tied as Poch's. It's important to remember that so we don't turn Levy into the pantomime baddie throughout this shitshow.

 

[Gb160]

Actually, it's very possible that Levy's hands are as tied as Poch's. It's important to remember that so we don't turn Levy into the pantomime baddie throughout this shitshow.

Its mental that after all these years under Enic...Levy is still seen as the stingy bastard who's holding us back.
He's not the one with the keys to the vault, and never has been.

 

[nedley]

Actually, it's very possible that Levy's hands are as tied as Poch's. It's important to remember that so we don't turn Levy into the pantomime baddie throughout this shitshow.

Absolutely. This is about Enic. Not Levy.

But he's still very much a love/hate figure and part of Poch's frustrations imo.

He penny pinches on deals, fails to sell deadwood due to unrealistic prices and leaves it all to the last minute.

Levy needs to adapt his game. And Enic need to sell up or put up.