This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Paul Merson insists the north London derby has lost its edge and has called on Arsenal to appoint former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager, per The Debate, via HITC.
What’s he said?
The Gunners have sacked Unai Emery, while Spurs replaced Pochettino with Jose Mourinho just a fortnight ago.
Now, with Arsenal on the hunt for a new manager, Merson has implored the club to appoint the Argentine, reasoning that the rivalry between the two clubs is nowhere near as feverish as it once was.
Asked if he would look to appoint Pochettino, he said: “I would. I think them days are long gone of Arsenal-Tottenham. It’s not their biggest game anymore.
“If you ask the Arsenal players and the Tottenham players, I think they would rather beat Chelsea or Man United.
“You ask the foreign players [of Arsenal and Tottenham] they have grown up watching Man United, and teams like that. They want to beat Man United.
“Tottenham and Arsenal isn’t the biggest game anymore. For the fans it is, but it’s not for the players. If I was Arsenal, I would get Pochettino. Would he go? I don’t know.”
A testament
This is, ironically, perhaps a testament to the job that Pochettino did at Spurs.
They finished above the Gunners in each of the last three seasons and are currently ahead of them under Mourinho’s management.
Spurs, then, probably do have bigger fish to fry; they want to beat the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool to prove that they are among the best teams in the league.
Playing and beating Arsenal, though, will always hold a special place in the hearts of supporters, regardless of their league position.
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And after Pochettino turned Spurs into a better side than the Gunners, to join them would be close to sacrilege.
Spurs fans had better hope that their ex-boss feels the same way, instead of agreeing with Merson’s surprising take.
Meanwhile, Spurs are set to be rivalled by Premier League giants for a Ligue 1 star.