Pochettino Vows Tottenham Door Will Never Close — 'In Whatever Division' — as USA World Cup 2026 Mission Takes Priority

Mauricio Pochettino has revealed just how deep his love for Tottenham runs, admitting he would have answered the club's call this summer even if it meant managing in the Championship. As reported by The Guardian, Spurs reached out to their former manager during the off-season, and the approach genuinely stirred the Argentine. Despite being handed one of the biggest jobs in international football — leading the United States into a home World Cup — and having previously held top positions at Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, Pochettino insists nothing would have deterred him from a return to north London. Not even the prospect of second-tier football. “Yes, of course,” Pochettino told The Guardian when asked whether he would truly have been willing to start a fresh chapter in English football's second tier. “Tottenham … it's the only club that always I am open to help. In whatever division.” The admission underlines the extraordinary bond Pochettino forged during five seasons in charge of Spurs, where he transformed the club into genuine Premier League title contenders and guided them to their first Champions League final in 2019. The stars ultimately did not align for a fairytale reunion, but his loyalty clearly burns as brightly as ever. Instead, Pochettino has channelled his energy into what he describes as an exciting new project with the United States. Tasked with shaping a talented generation of American players, the former Southampton boss is preparing for the defining assignment of his career: the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, where expectation on home soil will be enormous. And there could be more chapters to come in English football. According to The Guardian, Pochettino does not rule out one day taking the England job — a role for which his deep knowledge of the English game and his family's London roots make him a perennial candidate in the eyes of fans and pundits alike. For now, though, the focus is fixed squarely on 2026. Pochettino's message to Tottenham supporters is characteristically warm — the door to helping the club “in whatever division” will never truly close — but his immediate mission is to ensure the United States rise to the occasion when football's biggest tournament arrives on American shores. Source: Guardian Football