The Return of the Special One

It finally happened. After months of inconsistent performances and poor form, Mauricio Pochettino is no longer in the manager of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Football is a results based business and the manager paid the price for a string of bad Premier League results stretching back to mid February. Spurs' form during the past nine months is the worst in the league, averaging a point per game. Yet, surprisingly the news of Pochettino's dismissal came out of nowhere. The manager had publicly stated that his job was under pressure and there had been plenty of discussion about Spurs poor form, but few calls for his dismissal. A vocal minority of fans were openly calling for him to be sacked, but most were still willing to give him time.

The reasons are understandable. Pochettino has achieved what Spurs have been trying and failing to do for years: regularly qualify for the Champions League. The current run is the first sustained period of bad form since early in his tenure in 2014, Pochettino had earned the right to turn it around particularly after last season's run to the Champions League final. What's more, the causes of the downturn can be laid at the hands of the board for the disastrous Summer 2018 and Winter 2019 transfer windows during which no players were signed and only Moussa Dembele left. This summer was more successful with the club acquiring all their key transfer targets but several unwanted players failed to leave much to the frustration of both the manager and fans. In effect, Spurs completed their 2018 transfer business this summer and will need to complete their 2019 transfer business in January if they are to remain competitive.

Injuries to key players haven't helped. It took until the away match against Red Star a fortnight ago for two of the summer signings to make an appearance. At one point in late August, the club had no fit Right Backs and were required to play Davinson Sanchez out of position in a gambit worked in the North London Derby but failed against Olympiakos a few weeks later. Many fans were happy to wait until everyone was fit before criticising the current form. Pochettino's last match against Sheffield United made many realise that the problems lay deeper than just a few injuries and want-away players.

At times this season, Spurs have played like a team without a tactical plan particularly against weaker teams. The matches against Colchester, Watford and Newcastle were marked by a static forward line and a midfield unwilling to take risks. In each of these matches the players spent 90 minutes passing it between the midfielders and centre backs because there were no forwards in strong attacking positions to pass to. The match against Watford was eventually salvaged by the introduction of Son and Lamela, two wide forwards willing to run at defenders. Colchester and Newcastle were embarrassing defeats. The start of the season was marked by constantly changing formations and confused teams on the field. Much was made of the heroic defensive performance during August's draw at the Ethiad, ignoring the fact that this was Spurs team had outplayed City in the same fixture just three months earlier.

In the end, the club had to decide whether Pochettino could turn things around. The Argentine has spent much of the season calling for a rebuild, intending to replace the under-performing stars in the current squad with a crop of young rising stars in the early 20s. Fans have backed this call due to poor performances and boring football, but may not have been quite so supportive if they had realised this rebuild extended beyond the widely discussed contract rebels. Harry Kane was reported to be unhappy with Pochettino too, with some rumours claiming that he wanted out if Pochettino stayed. These rumours are probably baseless but Kane's performances for England this season have been markedly better than his performances for Spurs. The same is true for other Spurs players such as Harry Winks, Ben Davies and Toby Alderweireld. Kieran Trippier has spoken of unspecified internal problems since his departure in the summer, and there have been press reports of discontent about Pochettino's penchant for double training sessions and control freakery. No one knows how good the Spurs squad actually is these days, but it's clearly better than recent results.

Then there was the gigantic unspoken question, hanging over Spurs in recent months: just now committed was Pochettino to Tottenham and his proposed rebuild. This is a coach who openly spoke of leaving in the build-up to last season's Champions League final. He's cut a deeply unhappy figure in press conferences this year, with many concluding that he needs a break from the game. There are plenty of people inside and outside the club who believe that he wanted out but wasn't prepared to walk away because of a sense of honour and loyalty to Levy and his team. Pochettino is an intense coach who demands a lot from his players. He has the charisma and motivational skills to get the maximum from his players, but this only works if the players think he is just as committed as them. Consistent flirting with other clubs will have killed whatever motivation existed for players to go above and beyond their natural limits.

In Jose Mourinho, Spurs have acquired a Head Coach that has no concept of limits. Spurs are the ultimate nearly club. They have nearly won trophies every season for the past five years. They are nearly a big club, with revenues well clear of the bulk of the Premier League but not quite as big as the other top six clubs. Their fanbase matches this, and the suspicion was that Pochettino, an elite manager who was never won anything of note, perfectly reflected that status. Now the club have a manager who can reflect their ambitions, a proven winner who has won more major trophies in 20 years than Spurs have in 137 years.

It's an appointment with major risks. Mourinho's flaws are well known, having been brutally exposed at United. He is a temperamental character with a history of big bust-ups and a habit of falling out with people, particularly in his third season. His reputation for being a defensive coach who doesn't trust young players is well known, but then over the last 18 months Spurs have frequently played defensive football and have rarely trusted youth. Mourinho does not change much in those aspects.

It might also persuade some of the contract rebels to re-sign. Mourinho tried to sign both Alderweireld and Eric Dier while at United, and Levy was already in contract talks with Jan Vertonghen anyway. Dier is potentially one of the biggest beneficiaries of Mourinho's appointment. Spurs have spent most of the past year playing without a recognised defensive midfielder. Dier has been injured, Victor Wanyama has failed to recover from a severe knee injury, and Oliver Skipp wasn't trusted by Pochettino due to his inexperience. That is surely something Mourinho will change. Attempts to play Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko out of position as holding midfielders have failed, and Spurs' defensive record shows the consequences. One of those men will be given an opportunity to shine over the next month, or Mourinho will try to sign Nemanja Matic from United in their place.

The other big hole in the Spurs squad is at full back. Serge Aurier is surely on borrowed time. He has the habit of disappearing in games, which frustrated Pochettino but will incense Mourinho. Danny Rose has been in terrible form this year and Ben Davies lack of pace has been exposed at times this season. Pochettino's Spurs were devastating in the half spaces but often played narrowly causing problems when attacking against packed defences or defending against fast wingers. Elsewhere, the new manager just needs to decide on the best player in every position, something that has been unclear both this season and last.

Mourinho has been out of work for almost a year, and has been flirting with the Spurs job for much of that time. He will have a clear idea of who he wants to play and who he wants to sell. The break has also given one of the sports best tacticians time to adjust his approach for the modern game. Mourinho is a pragmatist, who has always adapted his team and tactics according to the club and personnel. A new system and a never before seen approach has been promised, but fans are rightly distrustful based on recent history. It is clear from his initial interviews and press conferences that he has learned from his failures at United, but how much remains to be seen. It's good news for Amazon though. They are currently filming a documentary on Spurs' 19-20 season. When it hits Prime next year, it should be a riveting watch.