OPINION
While he might have penned a new contract in the summer there is no guaranteeing that Mauricip Pochettino’s long-term future remains at Tottenham – a fear that many of the north London faithful will hold as the summer edges ever closer.
Heavily linked with both the Real Madrid and Manchester United jobs after the departures of Julen Lopetegui and Jose Mourinho respectively, the two European giants both have temporary stopgaps in place, leaving Pochettino open to take on the role in the not-too distant future.
The likelihood is the Argentine will be on his way at some point – that is just the way football is nowadays – and finding someone to fill his massive boots in the dugout is a task easier said than done for cub chief Daniel Levy.
How do you replace someone who has transformed the club’s fortunes and taken them to the next level? Other than cloning him, finding someone who is as close as possible in terms of tactics is the next best thing – but where exactly is that individual?
According to Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, a Pochettino close is sitting in the dugout at St Mary’s – the Argentine’s former seat – in the form of Ralph Hasenheuttl.
Speaking of the new senior arrival, he told the Sun: “The current manager is the most detailed since Pochettino.
“Both are very similar in the detail of where they want you to be at certain times. I think we’re making strides.”“The main similarity is how they play without the ball.
“They want to press high, they want to dominate the game and be on the front foot. For a few of us who were there with Pochettino you could see the similarities.”
It might seem a little cliche to raid Southampton twice for their manager but considering the rave reviews of the Austrian already, lightning striking twice could unearth gold once again for the Lilywhites if Pochettino does depart.
The Saints’ boss seems a good fit for the Premier League and considering Ward-Prowse knows exactly what Pochettino was like he also seems a great fit for Spurs.