The Mauricio Pochettino thread

piedpiper said:

A team peaks at a point and then starts a steady decline ( The club-Levy /Poch) misread that point of the peak which I believe was the season Chelsea won the title. I honestly believe we would be where Liverpool are now... And we didn't have spend as much as they have.

As Poch says the time has come to rebuild because we are already on that decline. Let's not be too comfortable because we made it this far in the CL.

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Oh I completely agree. If we'd have thrown our weight behind signings like Ndombele etc then we may have been able to keep up for longer.

I do wonder if Poch had a few players on a 'final chance' (Lamela, Tripper, etc) measure and if he couldn't get his first picks he wasn't prepared to replace these players. Perhaps this has changed and now he's realised that some of these need replacing whilst continuing with his desire to add a couple of top-notch players too.

This season may have been a blessing in disguise in some ways because it really has highlighted how close we are to being a true elite club and competing better whilst at the same time it's highlighted our short comings. Gives us a clearer understanding of exactly what we need to do to bridge the gap.

Let's win the fucking thing and then worry about anyone leaving.

Everlasting Seconds said:

It is in fact surprisingly bad for a person who for six years has worked and lived in England.

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I would suggest it's a great deal better than the vast majority of British people's spanish who have lived in Spain for 6 years

Ha, can't believe what I'm reading in here, only Spurs fans

rossdapep said:

Can't help but feel jealous of what Klopp has and has done with it at Liverpool.

Not saying for one moment we'd be getting 90+ points and winning the double but when Origi and Wijnaldum score two goals a piece in a semi final against Barcelona you know that Klopp is getting every drop (and then some) out of these players.

It makes you wonder what Poch could do with better resources and a fresh squad.

Having said that, I do believe even if we'd have made a couple of signings we'd still be below par as most of our big players are missing that extra percentage of energy that you need to be successful and it wouldn't have prevented the injuries either.

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Hopefully we will find out somewhat next season if we have a productive transfer window

pablo73 said:

I would suggest it's a great deal better than the vast majority of British people's spanish who have lived in Spain for 6 years

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Not certain about that. Also, Pochettino is in the country to be a professional representative of an English speaking business, most English speaking people in Spain are there to be retired, drink tea, eat biscuit and hang out with other people who speak English. The comparative population is foreign managers in the premier league, that's who you should compare him to. Doing that, his really poor command of the language becomes blatant. Luckily, he is not hired for his language skills.

The last thing poch does in the press conference is stick his tongue into his cheek as he gets up. That sums it up for me.

Everlasting Seconds said:

Not certain about that. Also, Pochettino is in the country to be a professional representative of an English speaking business, most English speaking people in Spain are there to be retired, drink tea, eat biscuit and hang out with other people who speak English. The comparative population is foreign managers in the premier league, that's who you should compare him to. Doing that, his really poor command of the language becomes blatant. Luckily, he is not hired for his language skills.

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What he says makes more sense to me than the utter twaddle you get from a lot of native-English-speaking managers.

Led's Zeppelin said:

What he says makes more sense to me than the utter twaddle you get from a lot of native-English-speaking managers.

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I don't disagree, but then imagine his pressers if he could conduct them eloquently. They'd be the highlight of your workweek.

Univarn said:

https://elpais.com/deportes/2019/05/07/actualidad/1557228527_084904.amp.html

Full interview with Poch goes over lots of things. Last summer, tactics, Spurs, Madrid.

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Wow, there's lots in that. Here's the google translate

https://translate.google.co.uk/tran...9/05/07/actualidad/1557228527_084904.amp.html

A couple of bits regarding Ajax:

Q. Ajax is examined as a tactical revolution. But do not you have some old equipment? What do you observe after these constant swaps?
R. It overwhelms you by the freshness, by the dynamics. Sometimes the most complex situations of the attack game are generated spontaneously by the desire to ask for the ball. If there is something in which they won us in the first half of the first leg it was in the desire. When we analyzed the game we did not see that there was a tactical, positional problem, or a problem in the way of planning the game, or that they looked for and found our weakness. Do not! It is the desire. It's: I play and I run, I play and I go to space, I play and I move ... I want the ball! I seek without fear of error. Because in the second part with a little more we could have done a lot of damage, and they did not generate anything either. It seems to me a team with technically very good players but also with a degree of irresponsibility and enormous freedom. This is very difficult to find in a team. It is a team that feels totally free to express itself in the field because nobody expects anything. No one has expected or expected.They have that innocence of saying: "I go out to play football".

Q. Why do you say they are irresponsible? Because they get disorganized and do not think about going back ...?
R. Because they play with desire. Because they do not show a great structural organization when it comes to playing in possession or defending. It is a team that is spontaneous in making more individual decisions than collective ones.When you analyze Ajax, individual decisions predominate.

He likes De Ligt

Q. You realize that when you took the test to enter the quarry, Bielsa took five minutes to determine that you were worthy of Newell's. What did you see in Matthjis de Ligt?
R. I saw natural characteristics. He brings them from the cradle. If I have to describe it, it is a person whose primordial characteristic is courage. From there I can be central. If I do not have the courage I can play in another position but not in the center. Let's go to the technical question: interpret everything that happens in the field. But he does it because he is brave. It arrives because it is brave. Defend well because he is brave. Anticipate because he is reading the play to go where nobody goes, because his character asks for it. There are qualities of the player that reflect what he is as a person. He is 19 years old. He just lacks the experience to know when to take a step back and when to take it forward.

P. There are large centers that defend well the more they fall back. Does that make them cowards?
A. The problem is knowing when they step back because of cowardice or because they are looking for a better position to defend or avoid risk. It is one thing to step back because I am brave and I retreat, because I know I will not lose, and another to have that courage to go forward and say: I go and risk! It's the temperament! Puyol, like De Ligt, was not exquisite with his feet but he knew his profession: that hierarchy of being central. What has to get the ball played from behind? Yes. What do you have to give a pass? Yes. They have it at a good level. What makes them such hard-to-find centers is that courage, that competitive power. Seeing De Ligt live gives me that feeling. Trust in your strength.

Maybe this is why we have been linked with Van De Beek

Q. If you have to identify an Ajax player that has created more problems, which one do you point to?
R. Van den Beek. Nobody talks much about him. But he has a dynamic in the game, he gets behind Tadic, he arrives, he works, he scores goals. Logically, I love De Jong and De Ligt. But the example of the operation of this Ajax is Van de Beek. I like very much. They have a young player, of quarry, in each line, that shows what the team is. Neres too. They show their courage. Are they.They do not say: "go to the left to generate a numerical superiority" or "run to the back". They have two natural ends that cover what Tadic does not have, that he does not like to work. Between Neres, Van de Beek and Ziyech give the team that audacity and spontaneity. They have nothing to lose. He was in the group stage against Bayern. They say: "Let's enjoy!" They have been superior to Bayern, to Madrid, to Juve ... and to us for 20 minutes.

Here’s translated best bits from Spanish interview.

https://spurspanyol.wordpress.com/2...-no-titles-yet/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

A lot of interesting stuff in that interview. We really are at a crossroads as a club. This summer will be compelling viewing.

Check out @btsportfootball’s Tweet:

The Spurs handler is clearly very uncomfortable with Poch's answer.

It could be a bit of inspired leadership, taking the spotlight off his players. Or it could be plain idocy. He reiterates that he's not joking.

a motto for us all to live by:

'do not give an egg for what happened yesterday'.

Poch's comment about Tottenham should be like Messi when Barcelona beat Liverpool 3-0 in the home league now looks very much out of place.

I've been so nervous especially after watching Liverpool's epic performance at Anfield against Barcelona .... I hope we can do it get that positive result.

Mauricio Pochettino unwilling to sacrifice his values for Real Madrid move

Pochettino has revealed that he turned down an offer from Real Madrid last summer.

Daniel Levy also rejected advances from Los Blancos and the Argentine was keen to honour his chairman’s trust.

Pochettino claims he would have gone against his principles by signing a new deal with Spurs and then leaving.

Pochettino revealed to El Pais:

Pochettino: “Players who wanted to leave: various”

Following a summer of no new signings, Pochettino was contacted by some of his players asking to leave.

But instead of worrying, their desires to move pleased him as they were showing ambition.

The 47-year-old warned Levy to trust the players who wanted to leave as these are the type of players required at Tottenham.

Pochettino added:

George94 said:

Mauricio Pochettino unwilling to sacrifice his values for Real Madrid move

Pochettino has revealed that he turned down an offer from Real Madrid last summer.

Daniel Levy also rejected advances from Los Blancos and the Argentine was keen to honour his chairman’s trust.

Pochettino claims he would have gone against his principles by signing a new deal with Spurs and then leaving.

Pochettino revealed to El Pais:

“The situation was difficult.​

“The dream of every coach was at stake: to lead the biggest teams that exist. And you must say no. That is tremendous.​

“It generates a conflict. Because you know that if a coach wants to leave, he leaves.​

​

“But I had just signed a renewal with Tottenham. And I felt that I could not do anything.​

“Daniel Levy did not accept the offers to free me and if they ask me to break the contract I can not accept it because I can not behave like that.​

“If my president thinks I’m going to continue, I’m not going to be scared.​

“Those are not my values.​

“Why is it going to be good for a club to sign a coach who violates his commitments?”​

​

Pochettino: “Players who wanted to leave: various”

Following a summer of no new signings, Pochettino was contacted by some of his players asking to leave.

But instead of worrying, their desires to move pleased him as they were showing ambition.

The 47-year-old warned Levy to trust the players who wanted to leave as these are the type of players required at Tottenham.

Pochettino added:

“After four years, last summer a line needed to be drawn.​

“Chances to sign players: none.​

“Players who wanted to leave: various.​

“They called me during the World Cup and said: ‘Boss, if this team wants me I’m leaving.’​

“‘Speak with the chairman.’ ‘Yeah, but I’m telling you because I’m interested in playing for another team.’​

“‘Good, good.’ And I said to the chairman: ‘I don’t trust the players who want to stay, not the ones who want to leave, because if they want to join a bigger club most of the time it’s because they are ambitious and want to win titles.’​

“That is the type of footballer Tottenham need because this player is going to give everything he has.”​

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Poch is very ' chatty' this week. Its almost like the Harry Redknapp era!

Whatever we make of these comments, what Levy makes of them is what matters most, he HAS to back him in the summer or face the consequences

It's really quite worrying reading.

Poch only stayed because he was contracted to stay? chances to sign players? none. Players wanting to leave? various.

When you look at the the amount of poor performances we've put in this season, it backs up our players not being fully focused/committed and momentum has undoubtedly been lost.

It's quite clear some of our key players no longer buy into the project here.

I'm sure some people will try and spin it positively, but how is any of that positive? Our manager hardly sounds that committed to the club, we have players who want out, and the boss had fuck all chances to sign any players he wanted.

Levy can sign up as many rugby games as he wants at the new stadium but until he gets back to concentrating on on the pitch stuff at Spurs, and starts spending some serious cash on players, it looks like this will all unravel.

if we lose Poch and don't back him properly this summer, we are fucked. Should never underestimate what a top coach does at a club, look at Klopp at Liverpool, look at United since Ferguson left.

Sounds very much to me that Poch is sending a message to the club that he needs to be backed or he'll leave. He knows he has a lot of suiters so the ball is firmly in his court. Don't be silly, Levy.