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Mauricio Pochettino urges Tottenham 'to take risks' after edging nine-goal thriller against Leicester
Harry Kane scored the winning goal to take his tally for the season to 30 Premier league.
Mauricio Pochettino had just seen his team engage in some glorious end of season nonsense over the course of nine goals in their last home game at Wembley when the Tottenham Hotspur manager decided that it was time to deliver some home truths to his club.
The Argentine coach has achieved three consecutive top three finishes for Spurs, and Champions League football in their new stadium but his mind was already racing on to the challenge of doing it again next season. His appeal was designed to carry direct to chairman Daniel Levy that the club “needs to be brave and take risks” if they are to compete.
It sounded very much like Pochettino feared that without investment in players Spurs would struggle to compete with the two Manchester clubs that have finished above his, as well as all those trying to make up the ground.
Pochettino urged the club to “tell the truth” to supporters about what is possible given the investment in a £780 million stadium and to “create dreams that are possible to achieve”.
“We cannot think we are the cleverest people in the world winning trophies on small money,” he said. “We need to think the reality is different. We cannot invest crazy money. We need to feel we are a special club. When you create that feeling anything can happen in football. We need to deliver the best way to try and win.
Mauricio Pochettino and his assistant Jesus Perez during their lap of honour.
“I think Daniel is going to listen, of course. You know me, I have crazy ideas. You need to be brave and take risks. It is the moment the club need to take risks. We need to work harder than the previous season to be competitive again. Today the Premier League is a tough competition, you can see not only the big clubs but the clubs behind us. West Ham, Leicester, Everton are working so hard to be close to the top six clubs. I’m sure Daniel will listen to me and we will create together.”
Asked about his own future, Pochettino was not prepared to commit himself unequivocally to being at Spurs next season, and offered up all the usual caveats about a manager being a few bad results from the sack. But he was unquestionably laying out his own position in public as Spurs enter a period of uncertainty in which opportunities may yet open up for their talented young manager.
“In football you never know,” Pochettino said. “Today, 100 per cent, I feel like I’m here but tomorrow all can change. It is not in my hands. It is not my decision to be here, it depends on my boss. It is healthy for us and the club to think you can lose your job. You need to give your best and always have fears if you are not professional and don’t work. Today [staying], yes, 100 per cent.”
Vardy and Kane scored two goals apiece
Thus far, he said it has been “difficult” to speak to Levy about next season but he appeared to anticipate that those discussions would begin soon. There was a need, he said, to “create a different idea to move on and to be closer to win titles”. By the end he needed to check himself when he was asked what might happen if he and Levy did not see eye-to-eye on the future of the club.
“I can’t say,” Pochettino said. “Maybe I’m talking too much. Maybe I should breathe. Don’t take this in negative way, this always happens at the end of the season, the manager speaks to owners and CEOs to analyse the season and thinking how to improve.”
It was a strange end to a day which had seen Paul Gascoigne doing the floss dance in the Wembley stands and Harry Kane finishing with more league goals in a single season than ever before, but lost out on the golden boot this time.
The England striker curled in a right footed shot for the winner, but elsewhere Mohamed Salah was adding to his total too. The Liverpool man finished with 32 while Kane’s two goals took him to 30, better than his previous two seasons of 25 and 29 goals respectively which were both enough to win him the golden boot.
Paul Gascoigne made an appearance at half-time
Gascoigne, a guest of Spurs, danced in the VIP seats, and at the end Pochettino and his players were warmly received by the supporters although the booing at half-time, when they trailed 2-1 were a reminder that expectations at this club have climbed considerably.
Jamie Vardy also caught the eye with two goals of his own to take his season’s total to 20 and fourth place in the golden boot race. He had a fine all-round game against a Spurs defence that always looked shaky. Eric Dier’s move into the back four because of an injury to Jan Vertonghen in the warm-up did not make for a particularly happy afternoon.
Claude Puel was also obliged to answer questions about his own future, pointing out that Leicester’s ninth place finish was only the second top half place for the club in 18 years. “You need experience, stability to improve this club,” he said. “It is an honest squad. We need stability and I will try and make this work. Speculation is not my area.”
Vardy flicked a header perfectly beyond the glove of goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and into the far corner for the first on three minutes. Spurs’ equaliser came when Danny Simpson’s pass was struck straight at Lucas Moura and the rebound fell nicely into Kane’s stride to beat Eldin Jakupovic at his near post.
Leicester were back in the lead in the 16th minute when Kelechi Iheanacho muscled his way into the box and from Adrien Silva it deflected off Kyle Walker-Peters for Riyad Mahrez to score. They went 3-1 ahead through Iheanacho after half-time, the striker easily holding off Victor Wanyama to hit a fine shot past Lloris.
Spurs scored three in 11 minutes in response: Erik Lamela from the cross of Walker-Peters, Christian Fuchs’ deflected own goal and then another Walker-Peters cross for Lamela. Vardy’s equaliser, running off Wanyama to slam home Mahrez’s pass was superb and then Kane had the last word.
Mauricio Pochettino had just seen his team engage in some glorious end of season nonsense over the course of nine goals in their last home game at Wembley when the Tottenham Hotspur manager decided that it was time to deliver some home truths to his club.
The Argentine coach has achieved three consecutive top three finishes for Spurs, and Champions League football in their new stadium but his mind was already racing on to the challenge of doing it again next season. His appeal was designed to carry direct to chairman Daniel Levy that the club “needs to be brave and take risks” if they are to compete.
It sounded very much like Pochettino feared that without investment in players Spurs would struggle to compete with the two Manchester clubs that have finished above his, as well as all those trying to make up the ground.
Pochettino urged the club to “tell the truth” to supporters about what is possible given the investment in a £780 million stadium and to “create dreams that are possible to achieve”.
“We cannot think we are the cleverest people in the world winning trophies on small money,” he said. “We need to think the reality is different. We cannot invest crazy money. We need to feel we are a special club. When you create that feeling anything can happen in football. We need to deliver the best way to try and win.
“I think Daniel is going to listen, of course. You know me, I have crazy ideas. You need to be brave and take risks. It is the moment the club need to take risks. We need to work harder than the previous season to be competitive again. Today the Premier League is a tough competition, you can see not only the big clubs but the clubs behind us. West Ham, Leicester, Everton are working so hard to be close to the top six clubs. I’m sure Daniel will listen to me and we will create together.”
Asked about his own future, Pochettino was not prepared to commit himself unequivocally to being at Spurs next season, and offered up all the usual caveats about a manager being a few bad results from the sack. But he was unquestionably laying out his own position in public as Spurs enter a period of uncertainty in which opportunities may yet open up for their talented young manager.
“In football you never know,” Pochettino said. “Today, 100 per cent, I feel like I’m here but tomorrow all can change. It is not in my hands. It is not my decision to be here, it depends on my boss. It is healthy for us and the club to think you can lose your job. You need to give your best and always have fears if you are not professional and don’t work. Today [staying], yes, 100 per cent.”
Thus far, he said it has been “difficult” to speak to Levy about next season but he appeared to anticipate that those discussions would begin soon. There was a need, he said, to “create a different idea to move on and to be closer to win titles”. By the end he needed to check himself when he was asked what might happen if he and Levy did not see eye-to-eye on the future of the club.
“I can’t say,” Pochettino said. “Maybe I’m talking too much. Maybe I should breathe. Don’t take this in negative way, this always happens at the end of the season, the manager speaks to owners and CEOs to analyse the season and thinking how to improve.”
It was a strange end to a day which had seen Paul Gascoigne doing the floss dance in the Wembley stands and Harry Kane finishing with more league goals in a single season than ever before, but lost out on the golden boot this time.
The England striker curled in a right footed shot for the winner, but elsewhere Mohamed Salah was adding to his total too. The Liverpool man finished with 32 while Kane’s two goals took him to 30, better than his previous two seasons of 25 and 29 goals respectively which were both enough to win him the golden boot.
Gascoigne, a guest of Spurs, danced in the VIP seats, and at the end Pochettino and his players were warmly received by the supporters although the booing at half-time, when they trailed 2-1 were a reminder that expectations at this club have climbed considerably.
Jamie Vardy also caught the eye with two goals of his own to take his season’s total to 20 and fourth place in the golden boot race. He had a fine all-round game against a Spurs defence that always looked shaky. Eric Dier’s move into the back four because of an injury to Jan Vertonghen in the warm-up did not make for a particularly happy afternoon.
Claude Puel was also obliged to answer questions about his own future, pointing out that Leicester’s ninth place finish was only the second top half place for the club in 18 years. “You need experience, stability to improve this club,” he said. “It is an honest squad. We need stability and I will try and make this work. Speculation is not my area.”
Vardy flicked a header perfectly beyond the glove of goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and into the far corner for the first on three minutes. Spurs’ equaliser came when Danny Simpson’s pass was struck straight at Lucas Moura and the rebound fell nicely into Kane’s stride to beat Eldin Jakupovic at his near post.
Leicester were back in the lead in the 16th minute when Kelechi Iheanacho muscled his way into the box and from Adrien Silva it deflected off Kyle Walker-Peters for Riyad Mahrez to score. They went 3-1 ahead through Iheanacho after half-time, the striker easily holding off Victor Wanyama to hit a fine shot past Lloris.
Spurs scored three in 11 minutes in response: Erik Lamela from the cross of Walker-Peters, Christian Fuchs’ deflected own goal and then another Walker-Peters cross for Lamela. Vardy’s equaliser, running off Wanyama to slam home Mahrez’s pass was superb and then Kane had the last word.
