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Pochettino leaving would be irrelevant to Tottenham’s future success – opinion

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Mauricio Pochettino has turned Tottenham from a team who flirt with the idea of becoming a top four side, to Champions League finalists who expect to challenge for the title every season.

Before Pochettino arrived, Spurs had managed fourth place in the league just twice since 1990, and no higher.

Since the Argentine’s arrival, he has guided the club to a run of fifth, third, second, third, and fourth – unprecedented for a Spurs manager.

He has also led them to a League Cup final, two FA Cup semi-finals and a Champions League final.

What’s more, perhaps his greatest legacy aside from the European run will be his relentless ability to bring through and/or improve player after player – Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Harry Winks, Kyle Walker, Eric Dier, Kyle Walker-Peters, Juan Foyth – the list goes on.

Despite criticism that he has failed to win a trophy, it is undeniable that Pochettino has brought success to the club in a way in which most Spurs fans have never seen before.

However, it is easy to confuse Pochettino solidifying Tottenham as a big European side, and an inability to continue that success once he leaves.

Pochettino was linked with both Manchester United and Juventus and speculation about his future was fuelled prior to the Champions League final when he refused to pledge his commitment to Spurs.

This has led to many Spurs fans panicking over the state of their club if Pochettino were to call it a day after five seasons at the north London club.

But when you look at the wider picture, Pochettino will leave behind a club with all the ingredients necessary to build on his work.

A club with Champions League pedigree, financial stability, a state-of-the-art new stadium, and a young squad that the fans have a real love for.

What Pochettino has built at Spurs extends beyond one man’s philosophy – he has created a positive mentality at the club in stark contrast to the negative odour Arsene Wenger left at Arsenal.

It remains to be seen what Pochettino’s legacy at Spurs is, but he could end up having had a similar impact to what Jose Mourinho had at Chelsea after his first spell there – albeit trophyless in Poch’s case – in the sense that the team’s success continues to grow after his regime.

Whoever the first star is to leave Tottenham – whether it’s Poch, Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen – Spurs fans must remember that the club’s meteoric rise under Pochettino is unlike the successes previous, like when Gareth Bale was there, or under Martin Jol and Harry Redknapp.

Pochettino, along with Daniel Levy, has built something at Spurs which can compete with Europe’s elite, and they’re here to stay.

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