Tottenham Hotspur fans have launched a social media campaign urging the club’s board to show their backing for first-team boss Mauricio Pochettino.
This summer Spurs ended a long spell of not signing any players when they brought in Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon and Jack Clarke from Leeds. Midfielder Ndombele is the club’s record signing while teenage winger Clarke has been loaned back to the Championship side.
The arrival of Ndombele sparked a number of rumours that the north London club could be in the market for new big-money signings as they look to challenge for the Premier League title.
Reported targets have included Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, Fulham winger Ryan Sessegnon and Juventus forward Paulo Dybala to name just three.
However, moves for Lo Celso and Sessegnon have yet to materialise and Dybala is being linked with Manchester United.
‘I’m not in charge’
It’s not just incoming players that have been making the headlines at Tottenham. Speculation also continues as to whether players such as Christian Eriksen, Danny Rose and Toby Alderweireld will stay.
Spurs beat Real Madrid 1-0 on Tuesday at the Audi Cup in Munich and Pochettino was asked about the futures of some of his players.
He reacted by saying he was “not in charge” of the club’s transfer activity.
“I know nothing about the situation of my players,” he said. “I am only coaching them, trying to get the best from them.
“These types of things, what will happen, what will not happen, selling and buying of players, extending contracts, not extending contracts, I think it is not in my hands.
“It is in the club hands, and [chairman] Daniel Levy. At the moment I am managing the team in the best way possible.”
Change my title
By not being part of the club’s transfer deals Pochettino said that maybe his title should be changed from manager to head coach.
“Maybe the club need to change my title description, because my job now is to coach the team,” said the 47-year-old. “It is not a question for me, it is a question for the club. Maybe the club are going to change my title description.
“Of course I am the boss, deciding the strategy to play, training, mentality, philosophy in my area, but in another area, I think I am the coach.”
Poch’s power play – will he last the season?
Despite not signing any players last summer or in January Pochettino led Tottenham to the final of the Uefa Champions League, where they lost 2-0 against Liverpool in Madrid.
Spurs also finished fourth in the Premier League which means they will again be playing in Europe’s top club competition this coming season.
Pochettino’s latest comments, the club’s transfer activity and the future of existing players has prompted Spurs fans to launch a campaign on social media for chairman Levy and the board to back the Argentine supremo.
With the club now settled into their magnificent new stadium fans believe that it’s time to #BackPoch or risk losing him to a rival club in Europe. In the past year he had been linked with Real Madrid and Manchester United.
Reporting from Munich, the London Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick says frustrated Pochettino is making a power play at Tottenham.
Kilpatrick wrote: “As much as any manager in the Premier League, Pochettino uses his media appearances strategically and it is hard to read his comments as anything other than a power play. He has left the ball in the club’s court ahead of the 8 August transfer deadline.”
Meanwhile, talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino does not think Pochettino will last the season at Spurs.
Cascarino said: “We all question whether Frank Lampard will still be at Chelsea by the end of the season and if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will still be Manchester United manager next summer.
“But the one I feel is the more likely to go from the top six first is Pochettino.
“I look at Poch and I just feel from what’s happening and what he’s communicating, I’m not sure he’s going to be there at the end of this season. I just don’t see it.”
Levy, you have to #BackPoch
Using the #BackPoch hashtag thousands of Spurs supporters joined the Twitter campaign on Tuesday and Wednesday.
One fan account @RealDGGHD wrote a threat on Twitter which said: “Pochettino should be rewarded for his loyalty, efforts and success with a big summer spend similar to Europe’s elite.
“Yes, Ndombele is a great signing but 2-3 more players of that caliber are needed. This is the time for him to establish us as one of the best teams in the world.
“This is the message to @SpursOfficial and most importantly Daniel Levy. Back this man because he will deliver.
“It may be a risk but you have to take risks to receive rewards. Take the club from a challenger to a winner. Time to move forward and bring glory to N17. #BackPoch.”
Here we look at how other Spurs fans got behind the #BackPoch campaign on Twitter.
