In a shocking turn of events during the international break, Mauricio Pochettino has been sacked as Tottenham Hotspur manager.
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The club sits 14th in the Premier League table, without a win in its last five league games.
|We were extremely reluctant to make this change and it is not a decision the Board has taken lightly, nor in haste,” the club said in its official statement. “Regrettably domestic results at the end of last season and beginning of this season have been extremely disappointing.”
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“It falls to the Board to make the difficult decisions - this one made more so given the many memorable moments we have had with Mauricio and his coaching staff - but we do so in the Club’s best interests,” the statement continued. “Mauricio and his coaching staff will always be part of our history. I have the utmost admiration for the manner in which he dealt with the difficult times away from a home ground whilst we built the new stadium and for the warmth and positivity he brought to us. I should like to thank him and his coaching staff for all they have contributed. They will always be welcome here. We have a talented squad. We need to re-energize and look to deliver a positive season for our supporters.”
Club statement
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 19, 2019
Reports had suggested over the past few days that his position was becoming more and more untenable, but there was no indication that a change was this imminent. The Telegraph reported Monday that Pochettino was set to meet with Daniel Levy during the international break about the direction of the club, and they suggested the game against West Ham United this weekend could be “make or break” for the Argentine.
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Pochettino had been with the club since joining in 2014. They reached the Champions League final last season, losing to Liverpool, while also reaching the League Cup final, two FA Cup semifinals and they qualified for the UEFA Champions League in each of the last four seasons.
Spurs currently sit three points off fifth place in the Premier League and looked certain to reach the Round of 16 in the UCL this season, as Pochettino’s reputation remains intact and he has been linked with moves to Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid among others.