Mauricio Pochettino is set to make a highly anticipated return to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday, albeit in an unexpected role. Instead of returning as the beloved home team manager, he will be in the opposing dugout, leading Chelsea against his former club. This twist of fate might have been hard for Tottenham supporters to accept, had it not been for the transformation brought about by their Australian counterpart, Ange Postecoglou.
Postecoglou's management has seen Tottenham rise to the upper ranks of the Premier League, allowing the club and its fans to finally move on from the Pochettino era, which was marked by a constant yearning for his return. This accomplishment is made even sweeter by Chelsea's concurrent struggles.
In their short stints at the helm of their respective London clubs, Postecoglou and Pochettino have experienced contrasting fortunes. The upcoming Monday night clash will serve as a significant point in both of their managerial journeys. So, how do these two tacticians compare thus far, and what does the future hold for them?
Fostering Unity Both managers took over clubs that were in disarray during the summer, inheriting dispirited and fragmented squads that had underperformed under their previous leadership. Restoring unity and fostering togetherness were evidently high on their agendas during the summer and into the early weeks of the season. Both managers have seemingly succeeded in achieving this goal.
Pochettino recently emphasized the importance of squad unity, stating, "When you have an unsettled squad, it's always difficult. You lose time, and then you need time to recover the time you've lost. That's where we are. Maybe our performances are good, but you need something extra, which is mental—a connection. It's the energy to be all together, without different agendas in the squad. We need time to build that togetherness required for competing at this level."
Speaking about the newfound unity at Tottenham, club captain Son Heung-min remarked, "This is like being part of a family. We are getting really close in the changing room. Everyone is working for each other, running for each other, and fighting for each other.""
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