LONDON ¨C When Southampton appointed Mauricio Pochettino as manager in January 2013, former Saints player and TV pundit Jamie Redknapp called the decision ¡°deluded.¡±
This was understandable as the Argentinian was virtually unknown here, his coaching resume comprising two successful seasons with Espanyol before, amid a financial crisis and a boardroom night of the long knives, Pochettino was sacked in November 2012.
Southampton chairman Nicola Cortese proved far from deluded by bringing ¡°MoPo¡± to England and the following season Saints finished eighth, their highest Premier League placing. The prospect of joining Tottenham, potentially a huge club but a serial underachiever, saw Pochettino move to White Hart Lane in May 2014.
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