There aren’t many managers capable of saying no to Real Madrid. The fact that Mauricio Pochettino has says a lot about the Argentine gaffer.
When Zinedine Zidane elected to walk away from Real Madrid in the aftermath of his club’s Champions League victory many Tottenham fans began to fear the worst. There was serious angst among the club’s passionate fan base over whether or not Mauricio Pochettino would be departing for the Spanish capital.
The fact that Pochettino had recently signed a new five-year-deal with Spurs didn’t stop the media from anointing him as Real Madrid’s top target. In fairness, the Spanish giants did apparently sound Pochettino out about their opening in some form or fashion. Ultimately, Pochettino elected to stay at Tottenham for the time being.
His decision to stay put is obvious a massive boost for the Premier League club. Pochettino has made Tottenham a consistent Champions League participant. More importantly, he has put Spurs within striking distance of the Premier League title on several occasions.
His tutelage has allowed young Spurs stars like Harry Kane and Dele Alli to emerge as superstars. Their time at Tottenham is almost definitely tied to his reign in North London. If he were to leave, it would put the club at risk of undergoing a massive player exodus. For now, Tottenham fans can block this ugly possibility out of their minds.
The analysis of what Pochettino’s decision means for Tottenham is easy. The question of what it means for the man himself is much more interesting. Specifically, what does it say about Pochettino as a human being and a professional?
The first thing it makes clear is that he’s an extremely loyal person. He’s spoken at length about his sincere affection for every club he’s worked for or played with. He isn’t lying when he talks about how hard it was for him to leave Southampton or Espanyol.
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The snubbing of Real Madrid also proves that Pochettino really believes in his ability to continue Tottenham’s elevation as a club. If he thought he’d done all he could in North London, he wouldn’t have been hesitant to push for a move to Spain. Pochettino is a person who needs a constant challenge to feel fulfilled in life. Part of that is believing he can make a real difference at his place of employment.
The ultimate thing this entire saga proves is that Pochettino is a painfully honest man. Spurs fans would have loved him to come out and say he has no interest of ever managing Real Madrid, but that wouldn’t have been truthful. He clearly sees it as something he might want to do in the future. At this point, people should read Pochettino’s words in the press as gospel truths. He may not say a lot, but he chooses his words with real precision.
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The beautiful truth is that Mauricio Pochettino is a man of his word who truly believes Tottenham can be great. That revelation can buoy Spurs fans into a state of euphoria. Similarly, it can plunge rival fans into a true bit of despair. He is magic, you know.