Tottenham: Observations from ‘All or Nothing’ episode one

2. The best and worst of times

Just as Levy maybe got a bit lucky with Pochettino, there is no doubt a little hint of luck was found in the magical run to the Champions League final in 2019. After a little assistance from VAR to dispatch Manchester City, fans and foes alike got to relieve what is one of my personal greatest sporting fandom moments in my 43 years of life, in Amsterdam.

Those final 15 seconds, where Son passes it back to Moussa Sissoko, who boots it up to Fernando Llorente, who knocks it down to Dele Alli, who then plays in a flashing Lucas Moura for the game-winner will live on forever in Tottenham’s history.

That play and situation was like an NBA team coming back from 20 in the fourth quarter of game six of the playoffs and then winning with a half-court heave, with Moura scoring three in the second half.

https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1161266423773245440?s=20

I know I screamed and hit my knees the first time when I experienced that third goal live and I still get goosebumps to this day watching the play, again, and again. However, the tough part for Spurs was that it was NOT the final, it was not Game 7, there was one more match play. Regardless of how you feel about the handball, which was not covered, Liverpool scored two and the dream ended in so many ways for Spurs that day in Madrid.

Disappointment and disbelief turned into disgruntlement and disagreement as Tottenham went from the precipice to despair in only a few short months.

While I am sure other pictures and video do exist, it was a very sullen Mauricio Pochettino portrayed in the video. The obvious stark differences in the before-Madrid and after-Madrid Pochettino were obvious. The smile, the fire, the passion, were just not the same after that loss. It was clear that the Champions League final loss haunted Pochettino and everyone else at the club. That and the fact that Christian Eriksen wanted to leave.

So here are the cameras and the one and only trophy of the Pochettino era and what do we see, video of Poch complaining about his power and role at the club prior to the Audi Cup. In reality, Harry Kane’s goal from half field, Moussa Sissoko lifting the trophy, all of that was just tape over cracks that was never going to hold as the season fell apart right in front of everyone and Pochettino and company seemed helpless to stop it.

This slide was underlined after the Bayern Munich highlights, where an early 1-0 lead turned into an embarrassing 2-7 loss to the eventual European Champions. The episode moved ahead to the loss and draw in two matches at Merseyside and then had highlights of Pochettino’s last win, 4-0 over Red Star Belgrade, as well as his last match in charge, a 1-1 draw very Sheffield United.

Suddenly, the Mauricio Pochettino era was over and a new regime was about to begin.

While I love Pochettino for what he did for Spurs and the joy he brought over five-and-a-half seasons, it was clear change was needed and Amazon worked hard to make that change quite apparent. As things shifted to the Jose Mourinho show.