Pochettino to Sampdoria

If you were the coach of Espanyol and you saw what was happening around you, both current and former executives openly waging a war of words, threatening legal action, and some others have already bailed on you, like former player and vice-president of the club Fernando Molinos who fled this week for Real Zaragoza as their new President, wouldn´t you take an offer from Sampdoria if it were above board?

That looks to be what former club-captain Mauricio Pochettino is doing. The Genoans have made an interesting offer both economically and structurally and are willing to meet the buyout clause of around 1.5 million euros. The Italian league is still not a place where foreign coaches do well, especially tactically, former AS Roma coach Luis Enrique found it tough going, but Pochettino has experience in the top flight of Spanish football as a tactician, something that Enrique didn´t have.

An interesting name being mentioned as a replacement for the outgoing Pochettino, if that is indeed what he is doing, is former coach Ernesto Valverde. He had successful spells in Greece after leaving Montjuic, with a not-so good term at Villarreal in-between, but he knows the system, helped coordinate the rise of some of the young players that have come through, and would fit in well. His problem at the time of his firing was his inability to turn some of the more experienced players to his style of management especially clubhouse leaders like Ivan de la Peña and Raul Tamudo.

The supporters are rallying around Poche who saved the pericos from certain relegation in 2009, having at the time barely finished his coaching badges and was helping out with the women´s side, but I´m not so sure this might be a blessing in disguise. Now I´m not saying that I would like to see Pochettino go, far from it, I remember what it was like to have the likes of Tintin Marquez and Jose Maria Esnal Mané in charge, but this board is not interested in repaying debts and not financial debts I mean, but debts of honor. I don´t think they remember what it was truly like before Mauricio Pochettino.

No bright, shiny, young stadium. No bright, shiny, young squad nor manager. I think they need proof that their short-sided goals to balance budgets is keeping this club from reaching its potential. I´d gladly take a hit if the point could be proven. I´m sad to see Poche leave, but he deserves better than what this board is doing to him, the club and especially supporters like myself.