Spursex
Alert Team
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino fury at Premier League as Spurs begin season 'at massive disadvantage'
Click to follow
ES Sport
Receive Tottenham updates
Furious: Mauricio Pochettino in training in California ( AFP/Getty Images )
ES Football Newsletter
or register with your social account
I would like to receive news and stats from the Premier League, twice a week by email
Already have an account? Log in
Mauricio Pochettino has slammed the Premier League for starting a week earlier than the rest of Europe and claimed Tottenham will begin the season at a “massive disadvantage”.
The Spurs manager believes top-flight chiefs should have delayed the season’s kick-off by a week — bringing it in line with La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 — to allow the World Cup players more recovery time.
Spurs, who began their pre-season trip here with a 4-1 win over Roma in the early hours of Thursday morning, had nine players in the World Cup semi-finals — more than any other club. France’s winning captain Hugo Lloris and the eight losing semi-finalists from England and Belgium are not on the tour.
Although Spurs hope to have some back for their final pre-season match, against Girona on August 4, Harry Kane is not due to return to training until five days before their opening League game at Newcastle on August 11.
Read more
Pochettino said: “The players need to rest, the players need a period to recover after more than 10 months’ competition.
“I’m not going to complain about them having that. I completely understand that they need 20 or 21 days to be away from football. But of course that is a massive disadvantage because to prepare the season in that way will be tough for them and us.
“But I need to adapt to what the Premier League propose. We cannot delete the start of the season. We start earlier than other leagues and countries. There’s nothing I can do. I think all the clubs are going to be in a similar condition — some with more problems than others. That is the reality and we cannot change it.”
Fernando Llorente and Lucas Moura each scored twice in the first-half as Spurs came from behind to beat Roma in front of 18,865 fans at the SDCCU Stadium. Pochettino refused to confirm whether Llorente, 33, who has been tipped to leave after just one League start last season, has a future at Spurs.
In Pictures | Tottenham vs AS Roma | 26/07/2018
“I’m not going to talk about individual situations because if I’m going to talk now about someone I need to speak about everyone,” he said.
“I am focusing on trying to work hard, trying to provide the team and every single player with the best tools to improve. Of course I’m happy when the striker scores and finds the net. Both Lucas Moura and Llorente, I am pleased for them. They are working so hard. It’s a massive opportunity for them to show and fight for a place in the starting XI.”
Spurs will also be without Son Heung-Min for up to a month because of the Asian Games in August. The South Korean will be available to face Newcastle before travelling to Indonesia for the tournament and Pochettino said: “I’m not going to cry. Of course Sonny is a very important player to us. But I cannot change the reality, even if it is hurting us.”
- Dan Kilpatrick in San Diego
- 2 hours ago
- 0 comments
Click to follow
ES Sport
Receive Tottenham updates
Furious: Mauricio Pochettino in training in California ( AFP/Getty Images )
ES Football Newsletter
or register with your social account
I would like to receive news and stats from the Premier League, twice a week by email
Already have an account? Log in
Mauricio Pochettino has slammed the Premier League for starting a week earlier than the rest of Europe and claimed Tottenham will begin the season at a “massive disadvantage”.
The Spurs manager believes top-flight chiefs should have delayed the season’s kick-off by a week — bringing it in line with La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 — to allow the World Cup players more recovery time.
Spurs, who began their pre-season trip here with a 4-1 win over Roma in the early hours of Thursday morning, had nine players in the World Cup semi-finals — more than any other club. France’s winning captain Hugo Lloris and the eight losing semi-finalists from England and Belgium are not on the tour.
Although Spurs hope to have some back for their final pre-season match, against Girona on August 4, Harry Kane is not due to return to training until five days before their opening League game at Newcastle on August 11.
Read more
- Llorente and Lucas score doubles as Tottenham beat Roma 4-1
- Tottenham pre-season friendlies and TV coverage in full
- Lamela to make up for lost time after signing Tottenham extension
Pochettino said: “The players need to rest, the players need a period to recover after more than 10 months’ competition.
“I’m not going to complain about them having that. I completely understand that they need 20 or 21 days to be away from football. But of course that is a massive disadvantage because to prepare the season in that way will be tough for them and us.
“But I need to adapt to what the Premier League propose. We cannot delete the start of the season. We start earlier than other leagues and countries. There’s nothing I can do. I think all the clubs are going to be in a similar condition — some with more problems than others. That is the reality and we cannot change it.”
Fernando Llorente and Lucas Moura each scored twice in the first-half as Spurs came from behind to beat Roma in front of 18,865 fans at the SDCCU Stadium. Pochettino refused to confirm whether Llorente, 33, who has been tipped to leave after just one League start last season, has a future at Spurs.
In Pictures | Tottenham vs AS Roma | 26/07/2018
“I’m not going to talk about individual situations because if I’m going to talk now about someone I need to speak about everyone,” he said.
“I am focusing on trying to work hard, trying to provide the team and every single player with the best tools to improve. Of course I’m happy when the striker scores and finds the net. Both Lucas Moura and Llorente, I am pleased for them. They are working so hard. It’s a massive opportunity for them to show and fight for a place in the starting XI.”
Spurs will also be without Son Heung-Min for up to a month because of the Asian Games in August. The South Korean will be available to face Newcastle before travelling to Indonesia for the tournament and Pochettino said: “I’m not going to cry. Of course Sonny is a very important player to us. But I cannot change the reality, even if it is hurting us.”
