Poch Goes Nuclear: 'Strip Chelsea's 2016-17 Title and Give It to Spurs'

Mauricio Pochettino has never been shy. But this? This is a full-blown grenade tossed straight into the Premier League's trophy cabinet.

The former Tottenham boss is calling for Chelsea to be stripped of their 2016-17 Premier League title — and for it to be handed to the Spurs side that finished second.

The Beef, Explained

Back in 2016-17, Pochettino's Tottenham finished runners-up, seven points behind Antonio Conte's Chelsea. Fast forward, and Chelsea have been charged by the Premier League over historical breaches of competition rules. In March, they were hit with a £10.75 million ($14.5m) fine and an immediate nine-month academy transfer ban.

The league found that between 2011 and 2018, undisclosed payments from third parties tied to the club went to players, unregistered agents and others. Chelsea failed to disclose those payments — though the Premier League concluded the club would not have breached financial rules had the payments been included in their historical submissions.

That info was shared by owner Todd Boehly after his consortium took over the west London club in 2022. Chelsea were also charged by the FA with 74 alleged breaches of its rules.

Poch Isn't Backing Down

The current United States boss unloaded during a wide-ranging chat with UK media, and he left absolutely nothing on the table.

"We should win one title, one Premier League. We should have been awarded it," he said. "They were punished, they admitted, so that's it? The title should be for the team that was second.

"It's true that we didn't compete with the same rules... it's completely fair to say that we didn't compete before the start of the season with the same card."

And if you think he's worried about upsetting the Stamford Bridge faithful, think again. "I'm not scared to say the truth. The Chelsea fans will be upset with me because I'm saying this, but if we were at Tottenham and broke the rules I'd admit the same."

From Spurs Heartbreak to Levy's Revenge Tour

Pochettino spent five years at Tottenham, steering them to a legendary Champions League final in 2019 before Daniel Levy pulled the plug five months later. Levy has since lost his chairman role after majority owners, the Lewis family, invited him to step down last September.

"I think he feels like [I did] when I was sacked! Now he knows the feeling," Pochettino said. "Yes, it's difficult because for him, 25 years, building his house, his club... for sure was tough for him."

And Yes, He'd Coach Spurs in the Championship

The 2025-26 season was brutal for Tottenham — they only dodged relegation on the final day, with Roberto De Zerbi masterminding survival. Pochettino watched it all unfold while prepping for the summer World Cup, but he insists he'd have answered the call.

"When I was free, I never received a contact and then when I was working, I received a contact... If I was free, of course, I come, but I wasn't free."

Even in the Championship? "Yes, of course. It's the only club that always I am open to help. Whatever division. Another club, no, but Tottenham, yes."

De Zerbi has since been backed in a wild summer of spending, with over £350m committed to new players — a world away from Pochettino's frugal era, when the stadium rebuild squeezed the budget and his final full season (2018-19) saw zero signings.

"I am happy because I feel Tottenham. It's still my club and I want the best for them."

Translation: the man never really left. And he's still chasing that title — one way or another.