Former Sunderland striker, Kevin Phillips, has claimed that the Newcastle United job might not appeal to Mauricio Pochettino despite the club’s potential takeover.
Pochettino is still without work five months after being sacked by Tottenham back in November 2019.
A £300 million takeover of Newcastle is reportedly on the verge of being completed (Chronicle Live) and the Magpies’ new owners are said to have identified Pochettino as one of their main targets to replace Steve Bruce at the helm (Eurosport France journalist, Manu Lonjon).
Football Insider reported last week that the former Spurs boss is prepared to have a discussion with Newcastle following their takeover in order to assess their project.
However, Phillips isn’t sure that the Argentine will take the job no matter how much money the club’s soon-to-be new owners throw at him.
He claimed that the 48-year-old would want to go to a club where he can start competing for major honours straight away.
Speaking to Football Insider, the former Golden Boot winner said: “If you throw enough money at someone they find it hard to turn down. There is also the size of the club and the supporters.
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“Pochettino struggled to win something at Tottenham and Newcastle have not won something in a long, long, long time. I do not think that would be the right fit for him.
“I imagine he will want to go somewhere where he can win trophies. Newcastle might be that team if enough money is thrown at it but it is not a quick fix.
“It is a three-year project and Pochettino already had that at Tottenham. He will want to go to a club where he is challenging straight away.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Firstly, it is not going to be possible for Newcastle’s new owners to simply keep throwing money at the club until they rise to the top as they will be constrained by FFP. It will thus take them a minimum of three of four years to establish themselves as Champions League regulars. Secondly, Pochettino doesn’t have a great track record in spending money in the transfer market either at Southampton or at Tottenham. Most of his good work involved nurturing young players and giving them the confidence to play. I just can’t see why he would want to go to Newcastle and I also don’t think he would be the best choice for the Magpies.
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