Tottenham warned Mauricio Pochettino return may be tricky due to USMNT demands

5 hours ago 5

Bobby Zamora has provided one reason why Mauricio Pochettino may be hesitant to commit to Tottenham Hotspur straightaway.

Igor Tudor will take charge of Tottenham until the end of the season, but reports indicate that Spurs are not likely to appoint Tudor as permanent manager in the summer.

It has emerged that the Tottenham hierarchy have settled on Mauricio Pochettino as their top target after identifying him as the ideal man to restore the club’s identity.

In fact, it has even been claimed that Spurs have already made repeated contact with the Argentine over returning to N17.

Tottenham told Mauricio Pochettino may not want to take eye off the ball ahead of the World Cup

Pochettino is currently focused on leading the United States national team into a home World Cup in the summer.

Zamora feels that the US national federation would feel concerned if Pochettino is already thinking about his next step and agrees a deal with Tottenham Hotspur.

The pundit also warned the Argentine that it will not be easy for him to get the Lilywhites firing on all cylinders ahead of next season.

When asked about the 53-year-old potentially returning to Spurs in the summer, the former Tottenham striker told Goal.com: “He can’t start until after the World Cup. If you are his nation, you are saying ‘I don’t want you taking your eye off the ball’ – I know you’re not full-time, every single day in the office, but I would be saying I don’t want you taking your eye off the ball.

“Although he’s the fans’ favourite and they want him there, it’s going to be a tricky one. I think the likes of Poch would want time, a good pre-season. Whoever goes in there, they will want a whole pre-season. It’s hard because of the World Cup.

“All of these players aren’t going to get back until the end of July, if a few of the boys get quite far. They will want a break, they will want two weeks off at least. It’s a tricky job for anyone. Poch obviously had a great time there. It didn’t end in the greatest way, but I can understand why the fans want him back.”

Zamora expects Pochettino to be tempted by Spurs challenge

Zamora believes that the former Spurs boss will be extremely tempted to return to his former stomping ground, even if he has other offers.

He suggested that the US national team head coach may want to be the man to finish the job he started in North London by building a winning side.

When quizzed on whether Pochettino will have other options to consider, as his contract with the USMNT expires, the 45-year-old responded: “He will. It’s a big club, though, a huge club. He has got fond memories there as well. It’s a huge club, it really is. The infrastructure of everything is second to none.

“It’s just that final part of the puzzle that they haven’t been able to solve over the last six or seven years. It just hasn’t clicked and found that understanding. I don’t understand what it is that is going to make it happen.”