Tabloid Talk

Redknapp: Snap up Pochettino

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Jamie Redknapp has claimed that if it were up to him, Arsenal would snap up Mauricio Pochettino to replace manager Unai Emery “in a heartbeat”.

The Gunners limped to a late 2-2 draw against struggling Southampton over the weekend to the pressure on the Spanish boss.

And Redknapp, writing in a column for the Daily Mail, has suggested that they should go all out to land Pochettino, who was recently let go by bitter rivals Tottenham.

He said: “If I was a decision maker at Arsenal, I’d go for Mauricio Pochettino in a heartbeat. I’m not sure I believe Poch would let his time with Tottenham stop him from taking over.

“Maybe the reason Spurs decided to go for Jose Mourinho so suddenly was they felt they could not hang around, because their north London rivals might be searching for a new boss soon.

“Unai Emery is under big, big pressure. I have some sympathy for him but he looks a beaten man.”

Is Poch the right man for Arsenal?

There are really two parts to this question.

Firstly, would the Argentine do a good job? Secondly, would he ever actually come to the Emirates?

To answer the first part, there seems to be a common consensus that Pochettino would do a fine job for Arsenal. People as disparate as Piers Morgan and Redknapp’s own dad, Harry, have suggested that he is the man for the gig, as per the Daily Mail.

He is used to working to a tight budget, he managed to turn Spurs from Premier League also-rans into Champions League finalists, and there are many top, top sides in Europe who would trip over themselves to snap him up.

In that regard, you can’t help feeling that he would be a real coup.

To answer the second part though, it’s just too difficult to imagine it actually happening.

On the one hand, he has no obligation to Spurs. They sacked him, and he has to earn a crust somehow. On the other, he clearly has a close affinity with the club, and it’s hard to envisage him burning his bridges so readily, especially so soon in the aftermath of his dismissal.

Maybe a few years down the line perhaps, but right now, it feels like a no-go.

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