Mauricio Pochettino calls for Tottenham to be awarded the 2016/17 title and reveals he would return even in the Championship.
Former Tottenham Hotspur head coach Mauricio Pochettino has declared that Chelsea should be stripped of their 2016/17 Premier League title and that the honor should be retroactively awarded to runners-up Tottenham Hotspur. Reporting via The Telegraph and shared by Chief Football Correspondent Matt Law on X, the Argentine manager also revealed that Tottenham officials contacted him directly regarding a potential return to the N17 dugout, and that even relegation to the Championship would not have deterred him from taking the job.
Pochettino’s assertion centers on financial rule violations committed by Chelsea between 2011 and 2018, which subsequently resulted in fines and a suspended transfer ban from domestic governing bodies. During the 2016/17 campaign, Pochettino’s Spurs finished second with a club-record 86 points, seven points behind Antonio Conte’s Chelsea.
According to Law’s report, Pochettino maintains that because Chelsea operated outside financial regulations during that era, the title should naturally be reallocated to the team that finished second under compliant conditions. The claim adds fresh controversy to one of the most remarkable domestic campaigns in Tottenham’s modern history, where the club went undefeated at White Hart Lane in its final season before demolition.
Unconditional Commitment to N17 Amid Return Discussions
In addition to his comments regarding the 2017 title, Pochettino confirmed that Tottenham executives reached out to gauge his interest in returning to lead the team during a turbulent spell last season. While contractual obligations ultimately prevented a deal from materializing, the Argentine made it clear that division status was entirely irrelevant to his willingness to assist the club.
Pochettino revealed that even if Tottenham had suffered relegation to the Championship during their recent domestic struggles, he would have accepted the post without hesitation. The revelations underline the persistent emotional connection between Pochettino and the North London club, coming at a moment when current head coach Roberto De Zerbi navigates immense pressure to resolve Tottenham’s 270-minute goal drought against Everton this weekend.