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Mauricio Pochettino is good enough to coach Real Madrid... and Spurs braced for fight to keep hold of manager
Published: 22:30, 12 December 2018 | Updated: 00:09, 13 December 2018
He has admirers at Manchester United, and Chelsea explored the possibility of tempting his across the capital last year.
The biggest threat, however, is expected to come from European champions Real, among the potential opponents in the next round of the Champions League, who have Santiago Solari in charge on a contract which runs until 2020-21.
Spurs players are concerned the 46-year-old Argentine who arrived from Southampton in the summer of 2014 will be tempted away once he has led the team into the new stadium, early next year.
'What he has done here in the last four or five years has been amazing,' said defender Danny Rose after Tuesday's draw in Barcelona which clinched Tottenham a place in the last 16 of the Champions League and further enhanced Pochettino's status in Spain.
'It's no secret all the teams have spent a lot more than what we have. The manager did not made any signings in the summer and he is probably not going to make any signings in January.
Spurs players are concerned their boss will leave once he has led them into the new stadium
'It speaks volumes of how good he is. It's no coincidence that every day you read Real Madrid want him or United want him. It's exactly what he deserves.
'He has transformed how others think of us outside the club and transformed how we think of ourselves and how we approach big games. We hope he stays for a really long time.'
Tottenham's fighting spirit under Pochettino is evident in this European campaign which seemed doomed with only a point from the first three games but late goals against PSV Eindhoven and Inter and Lucas Moura's 85th minute equaliser in the Nou Camp took them through.
'Everyone had written us off and we proved them wrong,' said Rose. 'The belief he gives everybody is just amazing. For example, Kyle Walker-Peters made a mistake in Barcelona but they will not affect what the manager thinks of him. He will stick with Kyle no matter what.
Late goals against PSV, Inter and Lucas Moura's equaliser in the Nou Camp took Spurs through
'That's the sort of man he is, once you win his trust it will take an awful lot to break that. He has been amazing for myself and this club, and we hope he is here for a very long time.'
Spurs are competing in Europe and at the top of the Premier League with rivals who spent hundreds of millions of pounds more on recruitment.
They beat Inter Milan to qualify from Group B and took four points from Real Madrid in last season's group stage, when they also beat Borussia Dortmund twice and drew at Juventus before losing to the Italian champions at Wembley.
The result in Barcelona reinforced their confidence. 'It's another big step,' said Harry Kane. 'There isn't a bigger game than Barcelona away and we know if we get them again, maybe in the later stages, we know it's in there.
'We played Juve last year and Real Madrid last year and done well. It's time to step it up and show we can do it in the knockout stages. Who knows how far we can go. It's about belief. We've done the hard bit of getting through the group. It's about trying to get as far as we can.
Tottenahm have also had to cope without a home since the end of the 2016-17 season
'I think we've shown over the last few years that we've earned respect amongst the big teams in Europe.
'That's the difference between us and the Barcelonas and the Madrids and the Juves. They win a lot of titles year after year and that's where we want to get.
'The only way to do that is prove ourselves in the big games but, for sure, I think teams respect us and whoever we play in the next round will know they have a tough game ahead of them.'
Pochettino's team is gathering momentum after a difficult start, complicated by the stadium issues and so many players reaching the latter stages of the World Cup.
'Not many people were talking about Tottenham in the Premier League,' said Kane. 'We get on with our job, tick over until the New Year and after Christmas and give it a push.
Captain Harry Kane was keen to stress the manager's influence on the resilience of the team
'The Champions League, the same. A lot of people were writing us off after three games. We've come out of that and showed people the character we've got in this team it's important we give it a big push for the rest of the competition.'
Like Rose, the England captain was keen to stress the manager's influence on the resilience of the team.
'You want to fight for him,' said Kane. 'You want to win for him. He's very passionate, you can tell sometimes he wants to be out there himself, running out, putting in a tackle, and as players you respond to that.
Only Man City and Chelsea have won more points than Spurs since Pochettino took over
'On the big nights, the big occasions, you want to do him justice. I can't talk highly enough of him. He's a fantastic manager, a fantastic man and it's always about hard work and belief.
'That's what he was telling us at half time, and before the game. He kept on saying: 'Just believe and use your energy, work and you will get the reward.'
'We're happy, we're buzzing, we were very happy in the changing room but I know him, he will be focused on Saturday now and trying to beat Burnley.'
- Mauricio Pochettino is in demand after turning Spurs into a competitive force
- The Argentine has admirers at Old Trafford, while Chelsea were interested
- Real Madrid have Santiago Solari on a contract until the end of 2020-21
- Spurs are concerned their boss will leave once they move into the new stadium
Published: 22:30, 12 December 2018 | Updated: 00:09, 13 December 2018
- Pochettino amid growing interest from Real Madrid.
He has admirers at Manchester United, and Chelsea explored the possibility of tempting his across the capital last year.
The biggest threat, however, is expected to come from European champions Real, among the potential opponents in the next round of the Champions League, who have Santiago Solari in charge on a contract which runs until 2020-21.
Spurs players are concerned the 46-year-old Argentine who arrived from Southampton in the summer of 2014 will be tempted away once he has led the team into the new stadium, early next year.
'What he has done here in the last four or five years has been amazing,' said defender Danny Rose after Tuesday's draw in Barcelona which clinched Tottenham a place in the last 16 of the Champions League and further enhanced Pochettino's status in Spain.
'It's no secret all the teams have spent a lot more than what we have. The manager did not made any signings in the summer and he is probably not going to make any signings in January.
Spurs players are concerned their boss will leave once he has led them into the new stadium
'It speaks volumes of how good he is. It's no coincidence that every day you read Real Madrid want him or United want him. It's exactly what he deserves.
'He has transformed how others think of us outside the club and transformed how we think of ourselves and how we approach big games. We hope he stays for a really long time.'
Tottenham's fighting spirit under Pochettino is evident in this European campaign which seemed doomed with only a point from the first three games but late goals against PSV Eindhoven and Inter and Lucas Moura's 85th minute equaliser in the Nou Camp took them through.
'Everyone had written us off and we proved them wrong,' said Rose. 'The belief he gives everybody is just amazing. For example, Kyle Walker-Peters made a mistake in Barcelona but they will not affect what the manager thinks of him. He will stick with Kyle no matter what.
Late goals against PSV, Inter and Lucas Moura's equaliser in the Nou Camp took Spurs through
'That's the sort of man he is, once you win his trust it will take an awful lot to break that. He has been amazing for myself and this club, and we hope he is here for a very long time.'
Spurs are competing in Europe and at the top of the Premier League with rivals who spent hundreds of millions of pounds more on recruitment.
They beat Inter Milan to qualify from Group B and took four points from Real Madrid in last season's group stage, when they also beat Borussia Dortmund twice and drew at Juventus before losing to the Italian champions at Wembley.
The result in Barcelona reinforced their confidence. 'It's another big step,' said Harry Kane. 'There isn't a bigger game than Barcelona away and we know if we get them again, maybe in the later stages, we know it's in there.
'We played Juve last year and Real Madrid last year and done well. It's time to step it up and show we can do it in the knockout stages. Who knows how far we can go. It's about belief. We've done the hard bit of getting through the group. It's about trying to get as far as we can.
Tottenahm have also had to cope without a home since the end of the 2016-17 season
'I think we've shown over the last few years that we've earned respect amongst the big teams in Europe.
'That's the difference between us and the Barcelonas and the Madrids and the Juves. They win a lot of titles year after year and that's where we want to get.
'The only way to do that is prove ourselves in the big games but, for sure, I think teams respect us and whoever we play in the next round will know they have a tough game ahead of them.'
Pochettino's team is gathering momentum after a difficult start, complicated by the stadium issues and so many players reaching the latter stages of the World Cup.
'Not many people were talking about Tottenham in the Premier League,' said Kane. 'We get on with our job, tick over until the New Year and after Christmas and give it a push.
Captain Harry Kane was keen to stress the manager's influence on the resilience of the team
'The Champions League, the same. A lot of people were writing us off after three games. We've come out of that and showed people the character we've got in this team it's important we give it a big push for the rest of the competition.'
Like Rose, the England captain was keen to stress the manager's influence on the resilience of the team.
'You want to fight for him,' said Kane. 'You want to win for him. He's very passionate, you can tell sometimes he wants to be out there himself, running out, putting in a tackle, and as players you respond to that.
Only Man City and Chelsea have won more points than Spurs since Pochettino took over
'On the big nights, the big occasions, you want to do him justice. I can't talk highly enough of him. He's a fantastic manager, a fantastic man and it's always about hard work and belief.
'That's what he was telling us at half time, and before the game. He kept on saying: 'Just believe and use your energy, work and you will get the reward.'
'We're happy, we're buzzing, we were very happy in the changing room but I know him, he will be focused on Saturday now and trying to beat Burnley.'
