Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
I was hoping it was his 5 point plan for the next 2 1/2 years:
Sign Mbappe
Hire Mason (as new co-assistant)
Spurs (just to be clear)
Win League (April 28)
Then win CL (May 28)
-
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Mauricio Pochettino
- Thread starter Dorothy
- Start date
Sign Mbappe
Hire Mason (as new co-assistant)
Spurs (just to be clear)
Win League (April 28)
Then win CL (May 28)
FolkestoneSpur
Terry Fenwick
My head is now saying yes, because whatever 'failure' looks like with Poch it will not be as bad as what we are seeing now.
And I think he will love working with our young crop of players....
WillWeEverBeGoodAgain
Johnny nice-tits
Below is a detailed thematic breakdown of the conversation, organized by core leadership, coaching, and performance themes, with interpretation layered on top of what is explicitly said. This is not a summary; it is an analytic map of how Pochettino (and Jesús Pérez) think, decide, and operate.
Pochettino rejects the simplistic equation of trophies = managerial quality.
Key points
Jesús Pérez is not a “number two” — he is a coherence engine.
Key points
Elite players are recognized before data proves them.
What managers don’t say publicly can define a career.
Harry Kane case
There is no formula — only continuous emotional calibration.
Daily process
Players must be coached as humans shaped by culture.
Examples
Creativity requires rules — but not cages.
Approach
If you want, next we can:
1. Philosophy Over Results: “Winning ≠ Proof of Good Coaching”
Core idea:Pochettino rejects the simplistic equation of trophies = managerial quality.
Key points
- “If you not win games, it’s like ah, the problem is the coach” → he calls this structurally unfair.
- At clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, success was multi-dimensional:
- Building infrastructure (stadium, training ground)
- Cultural transformation
- Long-term competitiveness (Premier League + Champions League contention)
- Failure to win trophies does not negate elite-level performance or progress.
- Pochettino views football as a systems problem, not a binary outcome.
- His thinking aligns with high-performance theory: outcomes lag culture.
2. The Assistant as Strategic Anchor (Jesús Pérez)
Core idea:Jesús Pérez is not a “number two” — he is a coherence engine.
Key points
- Shared philosophy, values, and decision-making speed
- Pérez acts as:
- Emotional translator
- Internal stabilizer
- Bridge between players, staff, and Pochettino
- Longevity matters: “More than 10 years together”
- This mirrors elite military / aviation command structures:
- The trust allows cognitive offloading, freeing Pochettino to lead.
3. Talent Identification: “Eyes, Gut, Micro-Details”
Core idea:Elite players are recognized before data proves them.
Example:
Signals they noticed- Ball touch quality
- One-action finishing
- Behavior at breakfast, gym, travel
- Response to questions
- Dress, posture, movement
- Club wanted another striker → Pochettino said no
- A failed transfer (Welbeck) created space → “confirmation from the universe”
- This is anticipatory leadership:
- Seeing future performance, not current output
- Data confirms later; instinct decides early.
4. Protection as Performance Strategy
Core idea:What managers don’t say publicly can define a career.
Harry Kane case
- Refused to issue a “we’re happy with three strikers” statement
- Reason: it would psychologically signal lack of trust
- Invisible decisions shape confidence trajectories
- Media narratives can damage internal belief
- This is psychological load management, not PR.
- Elite performance requires felt trust, not verbal reassurance.
5. Challenge vs Care: Emotional Timing as a Skill
Core idea:There is no formula — only continuous emotional calibration.
Daily process
- 6:00 a.m. arrival
- Two-hour discussions on:
- Mental state
- Physical load
- Tactical understanding
- Emotional sensitivity
- Player-by-player analysis, every day
- Protect when needed
- Push when deserved
- Misjudge sometimes — accept imperfection
- Coaching here is emotional regulation at scale.
- Data supports decisions; it never replaces judgment.
6. Individualized Communication (Cultural Intelligence)
Core idea:Players must be coached as humans shaped by culture.
Examples
- Speaking differently to:
- Kane vs Dele Alli
- Son vs Eriksen
- National background, upbringing, sensitivity all matter
- This is cross-cultural leadership, not man-management clichés.
- One language ≠ one message.
7. External Analysis Can Destroy Players
Case: Levi Colwill- Internal feedback: excellent performance
- External analytics: hyper-critical breakdown
- Result: confidence collapse overnight
- Context-free analysis is dangerous
- External coaches, analysts, and brands distort reality
- Modern players suffer from information overload
- Internal narrative must dominate external noise
8. Freedom Within Structure (Cole Palmer)
Core idea:Creativity requires rules — but not cages.
Approach
- Organization without the ball
- Freedom with the ball
- Positional discipline ≠ movement rigidity
- Asked early: “I’m not ready for this role yet”
- Seen as a sign of intelligence, not weakness
- Freedom emerges when players understand demands
- Intelligence + humility = elite ceiling
9. Managing Superstars at PSG: Normality Over Authority
Context- Paris Saint-Germain
- Front line: Lionel Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé
- Shared spotlight
- Penalties, goals, hierarchy
- Media pressure
- Commercial demands
- These players were “not born to share”
- They require a team behind them, not tactical symmetry
- Authority does not work with generational icons
- Care, honesty, and protection do
10. Media Narratives vs Tactical Reality
Thierry Henry criticism incident- Tactical compromise due to red card
- Messi isolated by game flow, not instruction
- Pundit narrative damaged Pochettino’s image
- If Messi did exactly what I wanted, I’d be “the most powerful person in the world”
- Media simplifies; reality is fluid
- Coaches absorb blame for player autonomy
11. Mental Health Under Elite Pressure
Coping mechanisms- Radical honesty within staff
- No emotional suppression
- Equal weight to praise and criticism
- Family grounding (wife anecdote)
- You must remind yourself how good you are
- Headlines are not truth
- This is elite psychological self-defense
- Not arrogance — survival
12. Universal Energy & Meaning-Making
Beliefs- Events align for reasons
- Failed transfers, missed trophies, setbacks = preparation
- Lemons as symbolic energy filters
- This is sense-making, not superstition
- Meaning stabilizes leaders under chaos
13. USA National Team: Turning Pressure Into Energy
Context- United States men's national soccer team
- World Cup on home soil
- Yes, they believe they can win
- Pressure must become fuel, not fear
- Players across MLS + Europe
- Limited time together
- Culture before tactics
- This is Pochettino’s ultimate test:
- Short cycles
- Massive expectations
- National identity
14. Culture Eats Strategy (Peter Drucker)
Core belief- Tactics are easy
- Culture is hard
- Without connection, tactics fail
- Rebuilt from zero
- Six months before visible results
- Performance exploded once environment stabilized
- Tactical brilliance is downstream of trust
- This is the spine of his entire philosophy
15. Legacy, Spurs, and Unfinished Business
Why Spurs matter- Trust from ownership
- Patience
- Shared construction of something lasting
- Spurs should compete for:
- Premier League
- Champions League
- Europa-level success is not enough
- His Spurs legacy is identity, not silverware
- That’s why it still resonates
16. Final Meta-Theme: Coaching as an Art
Repeated idea:- Coaching is not data
- Not tactics
- Not authority
- Timing
- Emotional truth
- Belief
- Human connection
If you want, next we can:
- Extract Pochettino’s leadership model
- Compare him to Guardiola / Klopp
- Analyze why PSG was structurally unwinnable
- Map these themes to business or executive leadership
- Or break this into quotable insights for writing or content creation
glorygloryeze
Dimitar Berbatov
The memories of that period that are evoked by the above is quite something...head still says no, certainly not whilst we still have ENIC owning us anyway...
My heart very much (“Beri beri much”) says yes, as, like someone mentioned above he gets it. I just want to feel attached to the club again.
My biggest problem is he knows what he wants to do, I believe he would be capable of doing it, but crucially, I don’t know if these owners would ever give him what he needs to achieve it.
My biggest problem is he knows what he wants to do, I believe he would be capable of doing it, but crucially, I don’t know if these owners would ever give him what he needs to achieve it.
glorygloryeze
Dimitar Berbatov
Interesting video that looked at the season Chelsea had under Poch just after he left them:
It's interesting to see what happened to Chelsea after he left when Maresca came in...it could be used to say we Poch would be perfect for us at this point or just be carbon copy of trying to perform under owners who aren't the easiest to work under...
It's interesting to see what happened to Chelsea after he left when Maresca came in...it could be used to say we Poch would be perfect for us at this point or just be carbon copy of trying to perform under owners who aren't the easiest to work under...
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
That feeling of belief and ambition is pretty shocking.
I thought he'd managed changed the culture of us, but it's clear hearing that how severely we've reverted back to where we were before him.
I thought he'd managed changed the culture of us, but it's clear hearing that how severely we've reverted back to where we were before him.
K.D.D.D.D.Soc
Nayim
I've always believed you should never go back once you've left a relationship as it rarely works out well.
Pochettino is probably the only currently active manager who gets us and could get the leeway from the fans all managers require.
We're at a critical point of our history and we must stop this downward spiral we are in.
If we want him we have to make the decision as soon as possible, a good world cup by US team would make him a wanted man by many clubs.
Big question, what do we do with Frank? I haven't a clue, he's not had a lot off luck, so much has changed since he joined and the perennial injury problem has limited his ability to build a team.
After writing this am I any clearer what we should do? No but I've got to the situation where I'm desperate to see our position improve and think it's a gamble worth taking.
Pochettino is probably the only currently active manager who gets us and could get the leeway from the fans all managers require.
We're at a critical point of our history and we must stop this downward spiral we are in.
If we want him we have to make the decision as soon as possible, a good world cup by US team would make him a wanted man by many clubs.
Big question, what do we do with Frank? I haven't a clue, he's not had a lot off luck, so much has changed since he joined and the perennial injury problem has limited his ability to build a team.
After writing this am I any clearer what we should do? No but I've got to the situation where I'm desperate to see our position improve and think it's a gamble worth taking.
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
We could appoint him with a start date of 27 June, and let Mason and Jesus run things in the interim.
As Poch lives in Hadley Wood anyway, he'll need to spend a lot of this spring scouting American keeper Brandon Austin at Hotspur Way (4 hours a day should do)
I refer to my post at the start of January
Don’t really get the head say no crowd. Had Pochettino been the manager at Villa or Everton and done what he did at Spurs and then beyond the exact same career, he would be #1 on everyone’s list. He ticks every box.
Plays attacking football
Cultivates a positive culture
Develops young players
Plays attacking football
Cultivates a positive culture
Develops young players
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
Even if it's only 70% what he achieved last time (2nd in CL, 2nd in EPL, never finished outside top 4, domestic cup finals) - just re-establishing ourselves in the top 5 or 6 would be great from this decline we've collapsed into.
People also forget how impressive his Chelsea team were second half of that season. They played some of the best football the league had seen in years
Dicko
Nick Barmby
I just dont see how its doable though. Let's say the US only get to the 2nd round (There's no way they go out in the groups with this new format, Even if they are the US), The 2nd round is the first week of July. If they fluke it into later rounds it get even worse. We could end up with Frank sacked and being managerless for more than 2 months, along with the media meltdown that brings!!... and you know they will be spinning it as though he's our 7th choice if it took that long.
If we could appoint him ahead of time then Trump and the whole of the US would say his hearts not in it and he'd probably get forced out early.. like Lopetegui did that one time.
The timing sucks whichever way you look at it. He should have course resign but he hasnt done it already so it doesn't look on the cards.
If we could appoint him ahead of time then Trump and the whole of the US would say his hearts not in it and he'd probably get forced out early.. like Lopetegui did that one time.
The timing sucks whichever way you look at it. He should have course resign but he hasnt done it already so it doesn't look on the cards.
Gallagher Sarr Odobert