KNOCK! KNOCK!

Poch has heard it all before and says his critics will make him even BETTER

MAURICIO POCHETTINO is unfazed by any criticism coming his way and insists it will help him become a better manager.

For the first time since he proved why Southampton sacked Nigel Adkins to appoint him in 2013, Pochettino has found himself being questioned.

Tottenham’s recent poor form and slide down the table to seventh position, ahead of today’s trip to Watford, has given the Argentine’s doubters further ammunition.

But he insisted being under scrutiny is nothing new and it is a situation he knows how to handle.

“When I was a player, I felt it (the criticism),” he said.

“As manager at Espanyol, first of all, it was fantastic because we survived. But it was a difficult period during my fourth season and the people and media criticised me a lot.

“When you don’t win, you are not safe, and it is normal to be criticised.

“I think I coped very well. Of course, it is always better to hear the good things, the praise, the love... but sometimes you learn.

“Not sometimes actually, always you learn when people criticise you.

“You can say it is fair or it is not fair, but always there is some point, and you deserve it for different reasons.

“It makes you have more perspective and find different options or ways to be better, to improve. It is so important to take in a good balance.

“And then you are human. You can make a mistake, you can win, you can sometimes lose, and you have to accept that.”

Pochettino is happy to shoulder the blame for Spurs’ dip in form, which has seen them win just one of their last five league games.

He said: “Always the responsibility is mine. But not because I want to protect the players or I want to be the victim.

“The most important thing is that always there is one person who needs to analyse and accept, and try to be better to the team, to perform better and win. That is the objective.”

And he is confident it won’t be long before Spurs are back on the up again.

He added: “In the summer, there was not too much expectation. Then the team started doing very well and we beat Real Madrid and Liverpool.

“Then a few results didn’t arrive and, after the defeat against Arsenal, it’s like all negative again.

“In a few weeks it can change. Maybe we win, win, win, are in the top four, and talking in a different way. That is football.”