Pochettino: I’ll stay to bring back Spurs’ glory days

LONDON: Mauricio Pochettino has promised to stay at Tottenham until he restores the club to the dominant force they were in the 1960s.

Tottenham manager Pochettino has been linked with a move to Real Madrid following Julen Lopetegui’s sacking.

The 46-year-old had already been forced to deny talk he would consider joining Barcelona in previous seasons, but the Real claims were given additional credence by the Argentine’s downbeat mood at times this term.

Pochettino admitted to feeling the lowest he had felt at the club amid ongoing delays to Tottenham’s rebuilt stadium, a lack of summer signings and nine of his players not returning from the World Cup until five days before the new campaign.

It has been suggested the former Southampton and Espanyol boss, yet to win a trophy in four and a half seasons with the north London club, has taken Tottenham as far as he can without major investment.

But Pochettino, whose side are currently fifth in the Premier League, made his case for remaining with Tottenham as he talked passionately about returning the clubs to their famous 1961 double-winning glory days.

“I think the period today at the club, at Tottenham, is so exciting. When you assess Tottenham, they are in the middle of the journey, in the middle to arrive in the harbour,” Pochettino told reporters on Friday.