Ange Lauds Pochettino’s ‘Unbelievable Impact’ On The Club Ahead Of Return To Spurs

Tottenham’s manager, Ange Postecoglou, has lauded the “incredible impact” made by Mauricio Pochettino during his time as the Spurs’ boss. However, Postecoglou has clarified that there won’t be a guard of honour for the Argentine when he returns to north London with Chelsea.

Pochettino is set to revisit Tottenham as the opposing manager on Monday, in a match to be broadcast live on Sky Sports. He had a highly successful four-year stint with Tottenham from 2015 to 2019, during which he guided the club to the Champions League final and several close title challenges.

With Postecoglou now at the helm of Tottenham and enjoying popularity, the Australian manager believes that the Pochettino era will leave a lasting legacy. He has urged Spurs’ fans to show respect to the Chelsea manager, despite his current role with Tottenham’s fierce rivals.

Postecoglou spoke about Pochettino’s impact, saying, “It’s unquestionable that he had an incredible impact on this football club. In our respective roles, our ultimate aim and aspiration is to make a difference. He undeniably made an impact at this football club. During his tenure, he came close to achieving the ultimate success in the Champions League and almost clinched the league title, so his work speaks for itself.”

He continued, “Everyone I speak to in this environment, including those who worked with him and are still here, can’t speak highly enough of him, both as a person and a manager. There’s no doubt that Mauricio will be remembered with nothing but respect and affection when people look back at his time here as a manager.”

However, Postecoglou made it clear that the absence of a guard of honour on Monday is due to the desire to win the game. He stated, “That doesn’t mean he’s going to receive a guard of honour on Monday night because we aim to win the match. I don’t believe he expects that.”

Tottenham currently leads the Premier League table, with Chelsea trailing by 14 points in mid-table. Notably, Chelsea, under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, has spent over £1 billion on new players in the past two years, while Spurs have made more modest investments in their squad.

Regarding the challenges Pochettino faces in integrating a large group of new players, Postecoglou acknowledged the differences between their respective situations, stating, “What Mauricio and I have to deal with are very different, but we both aim to build a successful team.”

He added, “Looking at Mauricio’s track record, I have no doubt he will guide them in the right direction, but the approach he takes is something he understands better than anyone else.”

When asked if he would like £1 billion to spend on new players, Postecoglou responded, “Not necessarily. I’ve never believed it’s solely about spending money, as it has been proven time and time again. Having the right chemistry within the squad and having players who are committed to the team’s cause is crucial.”

He continued, “You can’t assemble a squad with 24 world-class players; that’s not a viable approach. The key is to have a group of players who embrace the team’s goals and make a significant impact whenever they play. Simply spending money to acquire the best players is not the solution.”