Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino

Pochettino as manager of Espanyol in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Mauricio Roberto Pochettino
Date of birth	(1972-03-02) 2 March 1972
Place of birth	Murphy, Argentina
Height
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Tottenham Hotspur (manager)
Youth career
	Newell's Old Boys
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1989–1994	Newell's Old Boys	153	(8)
1994–2000	Espanyol	216	(11)
2001–2003	Paris Saint-Germain	70	(4)
2003–2004	Bordeaux	11	(1)
2004	→ Espanyol (loan)	21	(1)
2004–2006	Espanyol	38	(1)
Total		509	(26)
International career
1991	Argentina U20	3	(0)
1992	Argentina U23
1999–2002	Argentina	20	(2)
Managerial career
2009–2012	Espanyol
2013–2014	Southampton
2014–	Tottenham Hotspur
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mauricio Roberto Pochettino (Spanish pronunciation: [mauˈɾisjo potʃeˈtino], Italian: [poketˈtino]; born 2 March 1972) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a centre-back, and is the manager of Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.

He spent 17 years as a professional player, ten of which were in La Liga with Espanyol where he scored 13 goals in 275 games. He also played in France for two clubs, Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux, having started his career with Newell's Old Boys; an Argentine international for three years, he represented the country at the 2002 World Cup and the 1999 Copa América.

Pochettino began his managerial career at Espanyol in January 2009, remaining in the post for nearly four years. He then managed in the Premier League, with Southampton and Tottenham.

Playing career

Club

Pochettino (left) playing for Espanyol in a veterans' match in 2011

Born in Murphy, Santa Fe, Pochettino started his professional career with Newell's Old Boys, moving to RCD Espanyol in Spain for the 1994–95 season as the Catalans had just returned to La Liga. He was an undisputed starter in his six and-a-half years stay, helping the club to the 2000 conquest of the Copa del Rey.

In late January 2001, Pochettino signed for Paris Saint-Germain FC. He was also a regular starter during his stay, and moved to fellow Ligue 1 side FC Girondins de Bordeaux for the 2003–04 campaign. However, he returned to Espanyol (initially on loan) midway through his first year for two-and-a-half more seasons, still being regularly used except for his last one, and wrapping up his career at the age of 34 with another domestic cup.

In his two combined spells at Espanyol, Pochettino appeared in nearly 300 official games.

International

In 1992, Pochettino played for the Argentine under-23 team at the CONMEBOL Men Pre-Olympic Tournament in Paraguay, which saw them fail to qualify for the 1992 Summer Olympics. He gained 20 caps for the full side during four years and was a participant at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, appearing in three complete matches as the nation exited in the group stage.

In the second game for the latter competition, against England, Italian referee Pierluigi Collina saw Pochettino bring down Michael Owen in the box: the resulting penalty was converted by David Beckham for the game's only goal.

International goals

Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	17 November 1999	La Cartuja, Seville, Spain	Spain	2–0	2–0	Friendly
2.	7 October 2001	Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay	Paraguay	1–1	2–2	2002 World Cup qualification

Managerial career

Espanyol

Pochettino as manager of Espanyol in 2012

In late January 2009, Pochettino became Espanyol's third coach in 2008–09, with the team ranking third from bottom but eventually finishing the season comfortably placed (10th), after the coach inclusively asked for "divine intervention". He coached nine players who were his teammates during his last year and, in early June, renewed his link for a further three years.

In 2009–10, Pochettino once again led Espanyol to a comfortable league position, in a campaign where club symbol (and his former teammate) Raúl Tamudo fell completely out of favour in the squad's rotation, even more after the January 2010 arrival of the manager's compatriot Dani Osvaldo. On 28 September 2010, he agreed to an one-year extension at the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat which ran until 30 June 2012, and in May of the following year further renewed his contract until 2014. On 26 November 2012, however, following a 0–2 home loss against Getafe CF that left Espanyol in last place with just nine points from 13 matches, Pochettino's contract was terminated by mutual consent.

Southampton

On 18 January 2013, Pochettino was announced as the new first-team manager of Premier League club Southampton, replacing Nigel Adkins and becoming the second Argentine manager in English football after Osvaldo Ardiles. His first match in charge was five days later, a 0–0 draw against Everton at St Mary's Stadium; he recorded his first win on 9 February, 3–1 at home over reigning champions Manchester City.

Despite knowing English, Pochettino initially used a Spanish interpreter in press conferences, as a way to fully express his views. He led the Saints to notable victories against other top league sides, including a 3–1 home win over Liverpool and a 2–1 success against Chelsea also at St Mary's.

In his first full season at Southampton, Pochettino was able to equal their greatest ever league finish of eighth, while also surpassing their highest ever points tally in the process.

Tottenham Hotspur

On 27 May 2014, Pochettino was appointed head coach of Tottenham Hotspur on a five-year contract, becoming their tenth manager over a twelve-year span. The following 28 January, the team reached the final of the Football League Cup following a 3–2 aggregate win over Sheffield United, only to be beaten 2–0 by Chelsea in the decisive game at Wembley Stadium. In the domestic league, his first season was generally successful, ending in a fifth-placed finish and the conversion of several young academy graduates into regular first team players; he put one of those graduates, Harry Kane, as starting striker at the expense of Spanish international Roberto Soldado, a gamble which paid off as Kane and his teammates Dele Alli and Eric Dier were touted as the potential basis for England's team at UEFA Euro 2016.

Tottenham were in contention to win the league in 2015–16, but on 2 May 2016 they drew 2–2 at Chelsea, handing the title to Leicester City. The game at Stamford Bridge saw Spurs receive a league record nine yellow cards, and Pochettino entered the pitch in the first half to separate his left back Danny Rose from a confrontation with Willian.

On 12 May 2016, Pochettino agreed to an extension to his contract, committing him to the club until 2021. It was also confirmed that his title had changed from that of "head coach" to "manager", although he confirmed that the role itself was no different.

Managerial style

Pochettino favoured a very high-pressing, attacking style of football. He often employed a 4–2–3–1 formation at the clubs he has managed. While doing so, he instructed his team to build from the back, intimidate and unsettle opponents with a quick press system and work the ball into the box.

Pochettino's team selection tended to include quick players with excellent stamina, likely due to those players having the attributes to excel in a high press system. He was also hailed by many pundits for his focus on developing local players from the clubs' youth academies.

Career statistics

Club

Club	Season	League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Newell's Old Boys	1988–89	4	0	–		–		–		4	0
	1989–90	30	0	–		–		–		30	0
	1990–91	34	4	–		–		–		34	4
	1991–92	28	3	–		–		–		28	3
	1992–93	32	1	–		–		–		32	1
	1993–94	25	0	–		–		–		25	0
	Total	153	8	–		–		–		153	8
Espanyol	1994–95	34	0	–		–		–		34	0
	1995–96	39	3	9	0	–		–		48	3
	1996–97	37	3	6	0	–		4	0	47	3
	1997–98	35	2	–		–		–		35	2
	1998–99	26	0	–		–		–		26	0
	1999–2000	29	1	7	0	–		–		36	1
	2000–01	16	2	2	0	–		6	0	24	2
	Total	216	11	24	0	–	–	10	0	250	11
Paris Saint-Germain	2000–01	7	1	1	0	–		–		8	1
	2001–02	28	1	2	0	2	0	10	0	42	1
	2002–03	35	2	–		5	1	5	1	45	4
	Total	70	4	3	0	7	1	15	1	95	6
Bordeaux	2003–04	11	1	1	0	–		4	0	16	1
	Total	11	1	1	0	–		4	0	16	1
Espanyol	2003–04	21	1	–		–		–		21	1
	2004–05	27	1	–		–		–		27	1
	2005–06	11	0	2	0	–		3	1	16	1
	Total	59	2	2	0	–		3	1	64	3
Career total		509	26	30	0	7	1	32	2	578	29

International

Argentina
Year	Apps	Goals
1999	6	1
2000	2	0
2001	6	1
2002	6	0
Total	20	2

Managerial statistics

As of match played 15 May 2016.

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	From	To	Record					Ref
			P	W	D	L	Win %
Espanyol	20 January 2009	26 November 2012	161	53	38	70	32.9
Southampton	18 January 2013	27 May 2014	60	23	18	19	38.3
Tottenham Hotspur	27 May 2014	Present	110	55	28	27	50.0
Total			331	131	84	116	39.6	—

Honours

Player

Newell's Old Boys

• Argentine Primera División: 1990–91, Clausura 1992

Espanyol

• Copa del Rey: 1999–2000, 2005–06

Individual

• Premier League Manager of the Month: October 2013, September 2015, February 2016

External links

• Mauricio Pochettino profile at BDFutbol
• Mauricio Pochettino manager profile at BDFutbol
• Mauricio Pochettino – French League Stats at LFP.fr (French)
• L'Équipe stats (French)
• Mauricio Pochettino at National-Football-Teams.com
• Mauricio Pochettino – FIFA competition record
• Mauricio Pochettino career statistics at Soccerbase