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Where next for Mauricio Pochettino? Analysis and odds on Pochettino's next club betting after Tottenham sack
The five-and-half year reign of Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham is over. It was a period of new heights for the club on and off the field, but ultimately will be remembered for the failure to win a trophy.
Pipped to the Premier League title by Leicester, two third-place finishes and beaten Champions League finalists proves just how close the Argentine drove Spurs to long awaited glory.
He will feel he was hindered by a lack of spending by Daniel Levy, player contract disputes and distractions of their move to a new home. So he knows he needs to deliver a trophy in his next role and thus needs to believe his next club's set-up is right to achieve just that.
So where for Poch next?
Bayern Munich - 5/4
The German outfit are looking for a new boss after sacking Niko Kovac, the manager who, ironically, led Bayern to that 7-2 crushing of Pochettino’s Spurs earlier this season.
Hansi Flick is in caretaker charge and has won his first two games, leading the club's CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge to say Flick will remain in charge “until further notice - I can say that until further notice means he will be in charge at least until Christmas, or maybe even beyond.”
Rummenigge's attitude may change now due to Pochettino's somewhat surprise availability and a job at a club like Bayern will surely appeal to the Argentine, knowing it offers a wonderful chance to finally win that first trophy.
One minus is that he doesn't speak German, but he didn't know any English when he began at Southampton and, as we know, he is an intelligent man who would surely pick up another new language quickly.
Verdict: Best job currently available, but an unknown county
Manchester United - 3/1
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be eating his cornflakes a little bit more nervously this morning knowing Pochettino is now a free agent. The man many expected to have been appointed in the wake of Jose Mourinho's sacking at Old Trafford in December 2018 has been a constant shadow over Solskjear since he was given the job full time.
With United still struggling for consistent form and way off in the title race already, the question marks will only build now fans know how much easier it is to lure Pochettino to Old Trafford.
You wonder whether Ed Woodwood will be patient and give the club legend the whole season and then make a decision on his future once his achievements, or lack of them, are clear. Or, if the next few months fail to bring the required consistency to secure a top four spot, they will act quickly and swap Ole for Poch.
If he wants to remain in England then this looks the job for him and he gamble on waiting for Solskjaer to fail.
Verdict: The only job that will keep him in England
Real Madrid - 11/2
Whatever you've achieved at Real, whatever your pedigree, you are never far away from the sack at the Spanish giants. Zinedine Zidane's win ratio since his return to the Bernabeu is 51.85% compared to 69.8% from his excellent first tenure.
But they are level on points with La Liga leaders Barcelona, have won four of their last five games and will progress to the knock-out stages of the Champions League despite negative results.
A lot will depend on how long Poch wants out of the game. If he wants to get back in quickly then Real are unlikely to collapse quick enough for Zidane to get the axe.
Verdict: Unlikely
Barcelona - 8/1
Like their fierce rivals Real, Barcelona aren't shy at sacking a manager at the slightest sign of a wobble. So while things are going well for Ernesto Valverde currently, he will always have one eye on the exit door of the Nou Camp.
As a long serving player and manager of Espanyol, Pochettino has previously stated he would not manage Barcelona due to the rivalry between the two.
He might think differently should a firm offer come in from the biggest club in the world, but he appears a man of his word, so I'd rule this one out.
Verdict: Not a chance
PSG - 8/1
As a former player at PSG, Poch will always be linked with the big-spending French club.
However, a hop over the Channel anytime soon is unlikely as Thomas Tuchel is doing a rather good job. They are eight points clear at the summit of Ligue 1, and five points better off than Real Madrid - who they thrashed 3-0 - at the top of their Champions League group.
We know the club's owners and fans demand Champions League success, so if they yet again collapse in the knockout-stages Tuchel could be gone in the summer even with a league title under his belt.
Verdict: A potential summer move if PSG fail in Champions League
Argentina - 10/1
After 10 years of club management is Pochettino ready for life on the international stage? If so, then his home nation looks the most appealing option.
He won 20 Argentine caps in his playing days and his country enjoy changing international managers regularly having had four since 2016.
41-year-old Lionel Scaloni though has only been given the job full-time this year after a third-placed finish in the Copa America and he's got a decent record so far with 13 wins from 22 games with just four defeats.
Scaloni also seems to be getting the best out of Lionel Messi so his position seems safe and, as stated, it would seem an odd career move at this moment in time for Pochettino to make the move into international management.
Verdict: Lack of domestic success counts against him for now
Sabbatical
After a full on, demanding, emotional period at Spurs does Poch need a break to recover, rethink and re-energise? His stock won't fall while he is out of a job, in fact you'd expect it to raise as managers of his ilk started to falter in their roles.
Since cutting his teeth in management with Espayol he has had just two months out of work, so now seems a good time to take a little break.
He shouldn't feel ashamed or scared of doing so either, the best do it. Pep Guardiola took holiday after four incredible years at Barcelona. After a sabbatical in New York he went on to Bayern and Manchester City to great success with his league trophy tally at five and counting.
He is 10/1 with Sky Bet to still be without a job come August 1, 2020, but I'd expect him to wait until the summer at the latest before picking up his next challenge.
Verdict: Could wait until the summer before returning
So where next?
I'd expect Pochettino to wait until the summer to decide where to go next. PSG will win their league title, which should ensure Tuchel sees out the season. But if they fail to win the Champions League, especially if they fail to make the final, then he is likely to go.
It feels similar at Old Trafford, Solskjaer could be given the remainder of the season to secure a Champions League spot by finishing in the top four. Only then will the United board make a decision on his future. The only caveat here is if United hit a really bad run of form which means a top four finish becomes unlikely by February.
Verdict: Manchester United or PSG