Tottenham Hotspurs fire Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino has been terminated as manager of the Tottenham Hotspurs effective Tuesday after a dismal start to the season.

It was a mere six months since Mauricio Pochettino helped manage his team to the Champions League Final, but it will be his last after it was announced on Tuesday the Argentinian, along with his staff have been terminated by the Tottenham Hotspurs.

The reason for the termination was blamed on the poor performance of the team at the start of the Premier League season. Chairman of Tottenham, Daniel Levy stated the board of directors were reluctant but felt it was in the Hotspurs best interest.

After managing the team for 5 1/2 years, he was credited with transforming the club and making it a top contender to win the Champions League and Premier League, both of which Pochettino failed to accomplish.

Currently sitting in 14th, they have only three wins to their credit this season and only six in the last ten months. It was during this stretch that Pochettino led them to the Champions League final before losing to Liverpool. Commenting on the decision, Daniel Levy stated,

“It is not a decision the board has taken lightly, nor in haste. Regrettably, domestic results at the end of last season and beginning of this season have been extremely disappointing. It falls to the board to make the difficult decisions — this one made more so given the many memorable moments we have had with Mauricio and his coaching staff — but we do so in the club’s best interests.”

The decision was not met without criticism with Gary Lineker, a former striker with Tottenham tweeting,

“helped the club to punch massively above their weight for years. Good luck with finding a better replacement,….ain’t gonna happen.”

ESPN FC

Mauricio Pochettino, who once played as a defender professionally took over as manager in 2014 and through his efforts, turned it into one of the most exciting and dynamic teams in the Premier League history, and did so on a limited budget after much of the clubs resources went towards building its new stadium.

After finishing fifth during his first season, the Tottenham Hotspurs dropped to third in his second, then third and fourth in the following seasons. The team stood out under the leadership of Pochettino for the energy and intensity they displayed, and that quickly led to Pochettino becoming high in demand. There is little doubt that going to the final will be the highlight of his time with the club, one that saw the battle through the group stage and then defeating Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax to earn this place in the final.

Prior to the Champions League final, it was suggested by Pochettino if they won in Madrid, he would be ok leaving the team, and since making the statement, there has been a disgruntled feeling. That impacted the squad as several, including Toby Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen showing interest in leaving the Hotspurs.

October was a particularly tough month for Tottenham which saw the club losing to Bayern Munich Munich in the Champions League and followed that with a loss to Brighton, all of which added pressure for Pochettino to produce. After being eliminated by Colchester from the English League Cup, his successor will inherit a squad that clearly needs to be revamped to strengthen the areas that are weak. Those being considered for the position include Massimiliano Allegri, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti.

The Tottenham Hotspurs will next play West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday before meeting the Olympiacos F.C in a UEFA Champions’ League group stage match. Those interested in following English Premier or Champions League action and placing bets will find generous promotional opportunities with the likes of SportsandCasino.com. Register today and claim a 50% match bonus up to $1000.

Author Milica is a keen sports enthusiast , she often contributes to betting.ca as well as other sites. Milica enjoys betting on varies events such as sports and others.