Pochettino wants to be at Spurs for ‘20 years’

LONDON: Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has said he wants to stay at the English Premier League club for 20 years and maybe finish his career in north London, the BBC has reported.

Since joining from Southampton in 2014, the 46-year-old Argentine, touted as a future Real Madrid or Manchester United boss by Spanish and British media, has made Spurs a top-four side who regularly compete in the Champions League.

“I hope, or I wish, to be here 20 years and decide to leave or to finish my career here,” Pochettino was quoted as saying.

“I am so focused here and want to help the club to achieve what the club want to be in history.”

He added: “It would be fantastic. I am so happy to be here.

“I am so happy to work in that pressure. Why not?”

Pochettino hopes to emulate the longevity of former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who was in charge at Tottenham’s London rivals for 22 years before leaving at the end of last season.

“But I don’t know because I need to ask (Wenger) one day, if I have the possibility, if he is so happy in the way that he finished,” he said.

“What I saw from my point of view, it was so unfair how the people treated him.”

Pochettino has yet to win a trophy at Spurs but they are still in four competitions this season having reached the Champions League last 16, the English League Cup semi-finals and the English FA Cup fourth round.

They are in third place in the league, six points behind leaders Liverpool and host Manchester United on Sunday.