'In Whatever Division': Pochettino Reveals He'd Have Sunk to the Championship for Tottenham — as World Cup 2026 Mission Takes Center Stage

Mauricio Pochettino has revealed he would have dropped into English football's second tier to rejoin Tottenham this summer – proof, if any were needed, of how deeply the club still runs through him. Speaking to The Guardian, the United States men's national team head coach confirmed that Spurs made contact over the summer and that the conversation stirred powerful emotions. Even the possibility of managing in the Championship, he insisted, would not have been a deal-breaker. "Yes, of course," Pochettino said when asked whether he would truly have been willing to start a new chapter below the Premier League after leading Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. "Tottenham … it's the only club that always I am open to help. In whatever division." The declaration is remarkable from a coach who now carries the weight of a host nation's expectations. Pochettino is preparing the USMNT for the 2026 World Cup, which the United States will co-host with Canada and Mexico – arguably the biggest assignment of his career, and one he describes with unmistakable excitement following his new deal with US Soccer. Yet his heart, it seems, still has a permanent room reserved for North London. Pochettino transformed Tottenham during his first spell between 2014 and 2019, guiding the club to a Champions League final and building one of the most admired sides in its modern history. That bond clearly endures. There was another headline-grabbing admission, too: Pochettino refused to rule out taking the England job one day. Given his deep roots in English football through his years at Southampton and Tottenham, the suggestion will not have gone unnoticed at the Football Association. For American supporters, however, the priority is clear. With the World Cup fast approaching, the USMNT needs its coach fully locked in on molding a young, talented squad into genuine contenders on home soil. Pochettino's willingness to consider second-tier football for Spurs underscores the emotional intensity he brings to his work – the same intensity USA fans will hope he channels into next summer's tournament. For now, Tottenham's loss is American soccer's gain. Pochettino may one day return to the club he loves, or perhaps even lead the Three Lions. But the immediate chapter is written in red, white and blue: a home World Cup, a nation demanding history, and a manager who has already shown he follows his heart wherever it leads. Source: Guardian Football