Pochettino optimistic about Spurs' future, but is Man United his future?
Whenever Tottenham Hotspur play Manchester United, there is usually great excitement for even the neutral fans. These are two clubs entrenched in the philosophy of playing entertaining football – results seem secondary to producing breathless, flowing attacks for the full 90 minutes.
So it seems perfectly understandable when, two days before the two sides meet on Sunday (13 January) in an English Premier League clash crucial to both of their season’s prospects, Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino seemed utterly relaxed about his side’s capability to win.
In a media event hosted by Spurs’ global principal partner AIA in London on Friday, the Argentinian set out his footballing philosophy.
He said, “Football is about getting players and fans to enjoy themselves. It’s not about the drama, it’s about getting them to be passionate about the sport. We try to translate that passion into the way we play.
“And it’s not about the formation or the tactics, the most important thing is to get my players to understand how to approach the game. They must feel free to express – any time you touch the ball, you try to be responsible and make good decisions.”
Man United going for Pochettino?
It is a philosophy that has meshed well with the club’s traditional values, which is why the 46-year-old has guided Spurs to top-four finishes in the past three EPL seasons with his high-tempo, high-pressing style of attacking football.
It is also no wonder that Man United have reportedly set their sights on Pochettino as their next permanent manager. After their disastrous experiment with the dour and defensive Jose Mourinho, the Red Devils clearly prefer a successor whose philosophy dovetails with their long-standing tradition of being top-notch entertainers.
British media have thus labelled Sunday’s EPL clash as an “audition” for Pochettino, as well as United’s caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
So far, Pochettino has refused to be drawn into talks about his future. As such, he is already preoccupied with building Tottenham’s future, developing them into perennial contenders of the EPL title.
He said, “What is most important for the club right now to set the basis, and the possibility for the future to have all the tools to try and win, or least be a realistic contender.
“We are doing a fantastic job in creating a massive training ground and a new stadium. But that doesn’t mean we are not trying to win now, because our target for this season is to try and win every single game. We may not beat every opponent, but the important thing is to try.”
Stadium delays shrugged off
There have been struggles along the way. This season, the multiple delays of the opening of Tottenham’s new stadium have put the club in the firing line for criticism.
They were supposed to host their first match at the modern, 62,062-seat stadium on 15 September last year, but that was quickly postponed. More postponements were announced, and it is now scheduled to open only in March.
Nevertheless, Pochettino shrugged the setback, saying, “I’m a positive person. I like to put myself in difficult situations and take myself out of my comfortable. I think me and my coaching staff have the quality to adapt to challenges and give our best. That’s why I am here.”
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