Pochettino Could Ditch World Cup for Spurs, Says Keller – But Time Is Running Out

Tottenham's managerial merry-go-round has taken another turn, and this time there's talk of prising Mauricio Pochettino away from the USA national team setup mid-World Cup.

Spurs confirmed on Tuesday that Ange Postecoglou's successor will be departing by mutual consent following Saturday's abysmal 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest. The Croatian's tenure has been, frankly, a disaster – four straight losses to start, though a Liverpool draw and Atletico Madrid victory briefly offered respite. That Nottingham capitulation proved the final straw, with both club and manager now aligned on the exit.

Enter Kasey Keller, the former Tottenham and USA goalkeeper, who reckons the North London outfit could actually tempt Pochettino into abandoning his World Cup commitments right now. Speaking to Jackpot City Casino, Keller laid out the dilemma facing the club: "I definitely see him quitting after the World Cup. With Tottenham Hotspur, the problem is if they could entice Pochettino to quit the World Cup right now, and I could see that happening."

The veteran keeper's logic is straightforward – Spurs are in genuine peril. "I think they may try to hold on, but I don't think they can," Keller said. "I don't think they can continue down the path right now without hiring somebody and have the unthinkable happen."

His assessment? Act now or face Championship football. "Timing is so important," Keller explained. "If Spurs could get a couple of wins in the next couple of matches, obviously the Forest match was a disaster. Then you think hold off, wait until after the World Cup and then have conversations. I think Spurs need to make a real serious move right now or the unthinkable is possible."

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Pochettino and Roberto De Zerbi remain Tottenham's primary targets for the permanent role. De Zerbi enjoys the advantage of being available immediately – he can enter discussions straight away. Pochettino, by contrast, is locked into World Cup preparation with the USMNT.

Romano outlined the constraints: "De Zerbi could be easier because he's available, so he can have conversations now, while Pochettino is fully focused on the US men national team for the World Cup, so that's the situation."

The caveat? Everything hinges on Premier League survival. "What's needed is Tottenham to stay in the Premier League because if they go down to the Championship, obviously, it's going to be a completely different situation," Romano noted. De Zerbi, he insisted, remains a summer prospect only – not a January option – provided Spurs avoid the drop.

For now, the clock is ticking and the stakes couldn't be higher.