This archive report was first published on 31 July 2019.
On July 31, 2019, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino sparked a debate about his job title after the team's 1-0 Audi Cup win over Real Madrid in Munich.
Speaking after the match, Pochettino stated, 'I know nothing about the situation of my players.'
He also expressed his desire to change his job title from manager to coach, suggesting that the two roles have different meanings. Pochettino pointed out that when he extended his contract at Tottenham in 2016, his job title changed from head coach to manager.
He said, 'It's true that 'manager' is a word that means different things than head coach. Maybe I was always manager from the first day I arrived here – and maybe it describes my job better.'
Two months prior, Pochettino had signed a new five-year contract in May 2018 and expressed his concerns about the team's future, stating, 'I am not open to start a new chapter with no plan, with no clear idea, with not being transparent.'
When asked about the future of defender Danny Rose, Pochettino avoided giving a direct answer, saying, 'I am only coaching them and trying to get the best from them.'
He also stated, 'Sell, buy players, sign contract, not sign contract – I think it is not in my hands, it's in the club's hands and [chairman] Daniel Levy.'
Following his comments, the hashtag #BackPoch started trending on Twitter as Tottenham fans showed their support for the manager.
Harry Kane scored Spurs' winner against Real when he intercepted a wayward back-pass from Marcelo in the 22nd minute.
