Robbie Keane believes that Mauricio Pochettino will stay at Tottenham for a long time despite plenty of speculation over his future in north London.
The ex-Spurs man suggested the Argentine had carried out a major transformation at the Lilywhites since his arrival from Southampton, and was in no doubt over his future at the club with rumours circling about a potential move to Manchester United.
Speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports’ coverage of the match against Manchester United, as quoted on Sky Sports News (14.05), he delivered the verdict that all fans want to hear, saying: “I’m very convinced that he’ll be here for a long time. He’s said so many times that he’s happy at the club. He’s building something very, very exciting here.
“Tottenham were always a mid-table team, hoping to maybe get to a semi-final, then it went down another step. This team is moving forward with him at the helm. It is important that he stays, and there is no question that he will stay for the long term.”
OPINION
Keane’s positivity will be a massive encouragement for Spurs fans, who will have been deeply worried about Pochettino’s future ever since Jose Mourinho was sacked at Manchester United. The Argentine has done a remarkable job in London, and deserves all the plaudits that are lavished on him, but with that success comes an increased attention from some Europe’s most gigantic clubs, and that will always be a concern. As Keane says, however, Pochettino has been eager to reiterate on several occasions just how happy he is at Tottenham, and at this stage, there’s not much else he can do. One of the key factors in keeping him at Tottenham could be Daniel Levy’s willingness to invest, and this summer will be a massive barometer of how far both the manager and the club feel they can take this project of theirs. Without financial backing, the answer will be ‘not much further’, and then Pochettino’s resolve will be tested all over again.