Argentine Mauricio Pochettino has called for the 2017 Premier League title to be taken away from Chelsea and given to Tottenham Hotspur, who finished that season in second place.
According to the British newspaper “The Telegraph”, Pochettino’s request came during a long interview that lasted an hour in London, in which the former Tottenham and Chelsea coach also revealed that he had already received a distress call from Tottenham about the possibility of returning to coach the team last season, and that if the timing had been right, he would have agreed to return even if the club was relegated to the First Division “Championship League.” He also confirmed that, in addition to his desire to return to Tottenham, he still aspires to coach the England national team one day, despite the repercussions of the English team's loss to his country, Argentina, in the World Cup.
Pochettino's focus is currently on the United States national team, after he signed a new four-promise contract following the World Cup, but that did not prevent him from talking about what might have happened in the past, and what his long-term future might hold, during his interview with a selected group of British media.
Tottenham still holds a special place for the Argentine coach, who spent five years at the head of the team’s technical staff, and led it during the 2016-2017 season to occupy second place in the English Premier League behind Chelsea.
This summer, Chelsea was fined £10 million for violating regulations relating to payments made to player agents during the period from 2009 to 2022. The club admitted to making £47 million in secret payments to unregistered agents and third parties.
However, Chelsea were not subjected to any sporting sanctions or retroactive sanctions, which prompted Pochettino to demand that the title be awarded to Tottenham.
The Argentine coach said: “Certainly, we at Tottenham deserved to be champions that year because we were the second best team. The title should have been given to us. “We should have won one title, one Premier League title.”
He added: “They were punished, admitted what they had done, and thus the matter was over.” The title should go to the team that finished second. I'm not complaining here, that's the truth. “We did not compete according to the same rules.”
He continued: “Chelsea fans will be angry with me because of what I say. But if we were at Tottenham and we broke the rules, I would admit the same thing and say: Look, we don't deserve the title because we broke the rules.
Chelsea, led by Italian coach Antonio Conte, finished the 2016-2017 season seven points ahead of second-placed Tottenham. Belgian Eden Hazard scored 16 goals in the league during that season, while Brazilian Willian was also on the team.
It is noteworthy that the two contracts with Hazard and Willian were among the violations committed by Chelsea, and the London club had previously beaten Tottenham in the race to sign Willian in 2013, after the player was close to moving to Spurs.
Pochettino gave an example to clarify his position, saying: “It is impossible for some clubs to play according to the offside law, while another club plays without offside. Or one team uses video technology while another team plays without it. no. The same rules should apply to everyone.”
He added: “I am not saying that they did not play well, or that coach Antonio Conte was not great. Don't say that. But if you break the rules at that time, then goodbye... You have to give the title to another team.”
Pochettino believes that the English Premier League's decision to merely fine Chelsea financially without imposing a sporting or retroactive penalty sent the wrong message and set a dangerous precedent.
“What is being promoted and encouraged in this way is breaking the rules,” he said. "If you are not punished the way you should be punished, then I can say: Yes, but I lost my job because we did not win a title."
When asked about the 115 charges pending against Manchester City, which denies any wrongdoing, Pochettino refused to issue a similar ruling before the case ends.
He said: “I cannot give my opinion about City in the same way I spoke about the other case, because we are still waiting for what will happen. We were competing with clubs that operated in a completely different way than we did at Tottenham. “We were working in a different way.”
Pochettino revealed new details about the possibility of his return to Tottenham last season.
Tottenham fans chanted the name of their former coach during the season that witnessed the dismissal of Thomas Frank and Igor Todor, before the appointment of Italian Roberto De Zerbi, who succeeded in saving the club from relegation.
Pochettino, 54 years old, confirmed that he was one of the coaches contacted by Tottenham amid the changes witnessed by the club, but his commitment to lead the United States national team in the World Cup prevented him from responding to his former club’s request.
“They called all the coaches!” he said, laughing. Available and unavailable!
He added: “The problem is that the timing was never right.” When I was available, I did not receive any call, and after I became associated with a job, I received a call, but I could not make the decision to return.
“It was a little unlucky,” he continued. Maybe one day the stars will align just the right way and it will happen. If I were available, of course I would come back. But I wasn't available. “I was preparing for the World Cup.”
Tottenham was threatened with relegation to the First Division if they had waited until the end of the World Cup to sign Pochettino instead of appointing De Zerbe.
However, Pochettino confirmed that he would have agreed to coach Tottenham even if the team were relegated, and he also hinted that his new contract with the United States national team does not necessarily mean that he will remain tied to it until the 2030 World Cup.
When asked if he would return to Tottenham if the team was in the Championship and he was available, he replied: “Yes, of course.” It's the only club I'm always ready to help. No matter what level he plays in. For another club, no. As for Tottenham, yes.”
Pochettino then spoke about the nature of his commitment to the American national team, explaining that the situation changed after he signed the new contract.
He said: “When we gave our word to the federation, the agreement was about starting and continuing until after the 2026 World Cup. The matter may have become different if you ask me now, because we have currently committed to four years.”
He added: “In the past, it was very easy to say: OK, we start now, prepare the team for the World Cup, play the World Cup, and then see what happens. For us, it meant that if a club came, it was impossible to move. Now the question is different.
He continued: “Now we have a four-year contract, and this is different. We might lose the Copa America or the Gold Cup, and they wouldn't be happy with us, and they could fire us. Or maybe we say: Well, things are not going the way we think they should. “Four years is a different matter.”
He added: “Maybe if someone contacts me in the future, things will be different.” “We are excited and thinking about spending the four years until the next World Cup, but now it is a long time.”
Pochettino also confirmed that his previous position on the possibility of coaching the England national team has not changed, despite what happened between England and Argentina in the World Cup.
Pochettino had previously announced that he was ready to consider taking over as coach of the England national team, and the repercussions of facing the two teams in the World Cup did not change his opinion.
Argentina, which Pochettino previously represented as a player, defeated England in the semi-finals. Some Argentine national team players celebrated after the match with a banner bearing the phrase “The Falkland Islands are Argentine.”
Argentinians Enzo Fernandez and Valentin Barco have since been subjected to boos during matches in the English Premier League.
When Pochettino was asked whether he would accept coaching England if he received an offer, he said: “Now, after our experience, perhaps yes.” After a few years, yes, if I get a call. Not that I'm thinking about it now because I'm not available. "It's just a matter of whether you are available in the future."
He was then asked whether the repercussions of the World Cup match and the historical relationship between the two countries would put him in a difficult position if he took over as England coach.
He replied: “It is true that the matter could be controversial, because an Argentine man might be thinking about one day defending the flag of England, at a time when we were two sides in a war.”
He added: “I am the first person to feel for my countrymen in Argentina, but in the end this is just football, and it was just a football match, but people wanted to turn it into other issues.”
Pochettino concluded his speech by saying: “For me, I think we are very similar. I love the countryside and I love farms, and it's great here. I think you respect the things I grew up with in my country as well. Now I'm here practicing my passion, which is football, so why can't I work here? This is crazy. “I really believe in diplomacy, in going and talking, and certainly finding the best way.”
