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The Premier League has started with a bang. Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea are undefeated up until this point and hence are rightly regarded as title contenders. But there is one team, who are only 1 point behind Chelsea but yet seem ill-equipped to be considered as title contenders - Tottenham Hotspur. A team with the 6th highest budget, always seem to be punching above their weight and this is due to Pochettino and his unwavering belief in his ideas and dependence on youth. But this season, by his own admission, has been his toughest yet and seems set to be his last, as a big move to either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich beckons.
Pochettino first came to the fore at Espanyol, where he took over as manager in 2009,with the team languishing in the relegation zone. His first home match was against FC Barcelona coached by a certain Pep Guardiola. His team managed a 0-0 draw. Espanyol finished comfortably mid-table with the Argentine at the helm.
But in 2012, after a defeat to Getafe and his complaints about the financial constraints, his contract was terminated by mutual consent. His emphasis on high pressing, possession-based play on all of the clubs' teams from the first-team to the youth level started off here and can be seen today at all of Spurs' teams.
In January of 2013, he replaced Nigel Adkins as the manager of Southampton. His time here was rather eventful with victories over Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea. In his first full season, the former PSG centre-back led Saints to an 8th place finish that season, their highest since the 2002-03 season.
His work at Espanyol and Southampton eventually led Tottenham to name Pochettino as their manager in May 2014. His work here has been stellar with 2nd and 3rd place finishes over the past couple seasons, cementing Spurs as Premier League heavyweights. His mantra of improving and promoting young players as well as working on a shoe-string budget has been at the forefront of his revolution at Tottenham.
This season though has started off strangely for Pochettino and Spurs. With no new summer arrival and with the big boys spending big to plug the gaps, it was always going to be difficult. Tottenham Hotspur haven't played badly this season but what seems rather odd is the way they have gone about their business.
The players returned late from the World Cup with their core English group seemingly tired from their Russian exploits. Harry Kane looked like a shadow of his former self, Dele Alli, in particular, was poor at the World Cup and has carried on that form to the Premier League and the Champions League.
Only Eriksen and Lamela have been the bright spots this season. They have lost both their big matches against Manchester City and Liverpool and only narrowly escaped losing to Wolves at Molineux. Their victory against a rather out of sorts Manchester United, their only point of note against a top opposition.
Pochettino looks frustrated this season, with no new signings, the board's reluctance to spend big and the stadium fiasco, it is only a matter of time before Madrid or Bayern come knocking on Spurs' door to prise away their most successful manager.
Spurs' Champions League progression is under threat , having only obtained 4 points from 4 matches. A solitary victory at home against PSV Eindhoven coupled with losses to Barcelona and Inter, has led to a real possibility of dropping down to Europa League. The stadium fiasco has only exacerbated their current plight. This week will be their most important as matches against Chelsea and a return fixture against Inter will certainly lay down a marker on where they finish this season.
Pochettino only recently signed a new five-year contract and seems to believe in the project. But with Kovac on the edge at Bayern Munich and Real Madrid a long-term admirer, it is only a matter of time before we see him at one of the true heavyweights of European football.
