Tottenham Hotspur face the toughest test of their season tonight when they travel to Amsterdam for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Ajax.
With Spurs trailing 1-0 from the first leg, it will take an impressive fightback to book their place in the final in Madrid.
All eyes will be on the game, but Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino’s pre-match comments may concern supporters of the club after he appeared to question his long-term future in north London.
“Winning the Champions League? It should be fantastic, no? Close the five-year chapter and go home,” Pochettino said, as reported by Sky Sports.
“It’s not a joke, why? To win the Champions League with Tottenham in these circumstances this season, maybe I need to think about maybe doing something different in the future.”
Although the scenario Pochettino proposed is extremely unlikely, it is hardly a reassuring sign to hear a manager questioning his future so soon before a massive European semi-final.
If Spurs were to lift the Champions League trophy in May, there is no doubt the fanbase would be ecstatic. But it now carries an added element of apprehension — that the man responsible could depart.
His allusion to a five-year project being complete is also worrying, signalling he believes he would have taken Spurs as far as he can.
But Tottenham fans will contest that winning the Champions League should be the starting point for a new dynasty, rather than the end of a mission.
Pochettino’s prediction is premature considering that Spurs must win in Amsterdam tonight. Nevertheless, his comments revived concerning rumours of a summer exit that many supporters believed were long gone.
