Paris Saint-Germain and Mauricio Pochettino had to join forces after the dismissal of Thomas Tuchel

Mauricio Pochettino could soon return to management after Paris Saint-Germain fired Thomas Tuchel, but it may not have been his first choice.

Tuchel’s dismissal demonstrates the high standards expected at PSG. Perhaps the reward for the German’s achievement of a Champions League final was the dismissal that came with greater ambitions. This team might be largely the same as the 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich in August, but the level of performance is nowhere near the same.

They qualified for the Champions League but lost to a rather poor Manchester United along the way, as well as to RB Leipzig. They are one point off the top of Ligue 1, but they have the petrodollars of a national state that should allow them to take the top spot in week one and stay there for the rest of the season. Anything short of national dominance is a failure, and anything short of a brand improvement in European performance will ultimately cost PSG managers their jobs, as Unai Emery and Laurent Blanc did before Tuchel.

Despite the club’s wealth and the strong position they are acquiring after millions spent, the French team didn’t have much choice when it came to choosing their next man. Somehow, Pochettino has the default position.

Didier Deschamps, Leonardo, Zinedine Zidane, Laurent Blanc and Arsene Wenger were in the frame, but none of them convince as possible replacements. Deschamps is happy with the French team, Leonardo is probably happy with his role outside the limelight, Laurent Blanc has done little since leaving the club and Wenger’s age would make him little more than a temporary resource.

For all the club’s talent, there are few top-tier alternatives to Tuchel. Zidane, for now, is likely to finish the rest of the season with Real Madrid, and both sides are keen to take stock in the summer, when the coronavirus ruins the club’s finances and is likely to improve. Perhaps Zidane will choose to move on if he is not rewarded with Paul Pogba, or instead a good player, to continue improving a squad that this season relied on returning loans to increase the numbers.

That left PSG with Pochettino as the only manager outside of Max Allegri who could point to top-notch and European experience. Allegri, who did well domestically with Juventus, failed in Europe, and perhaps that recalls his experience with Tuchel too closely. Given that Allegri has been studying English at least since his departure from the Italian champions, he may be happy to wait for an offer in the Premier League.

Pochettino offers something that Allegri doesn’t offer, which is standing out with a side. There is legitimate criticism of his team’s picks in his final season at Spurs, but the impressive league finals and a decent campaign in the Champions League deserve credit. Given that he was at times crippled by Daniel Levy’s parsimony, there is a chance he could produce even better sides with Kylian Mbappé, Neymar and a strong financial clout in support.

While PSG had limited options when it came to replacing Tuchel, Pochettino didn’t have much else to offer.

It was clear that when United were considering replacing Louis van Gaal, some club members were considering Pochettino; remember your remarkable encounter with Alex Ferguson. In the past, he has had vague discussions with his requirements in case he takes over, first from José Mourinho and then when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been under pressure. With Pochettino eager to stay in England with his family, the Premier League was his preferred venue. But a return to Spurs is out for now, and Solskjaer is currently safe. The proposed acquisition of Newcastle United by the Saudi owners failed.

That left Real Madrid as a potential destination, but Zidane remains in his place. In recent months, Pochettino has increased his presence in the media, he no longer has a gardening license and can work without financial implications on his severance pay. The longer he was out of the game, the closer he is to Alan Curbishley, always linked but too long out of the game. I still had a long time to find a new job, but obsolescence comes faster these days.

Therefore, work at PSG is tempting. You are not in England, but the Eurostar allows you to commute for your family, and with the Brexit clouds not exactly waking up, you can choose to return to a club from your playing days. You know the city well, and in a few months with Britain’s reckless approach to the coronavirus, it may be an excellent time to leave England for the foreseeable future. Yes, there are problems at the club, and it is a politically demanding job, but both Pochettino and PSG were running out of options.