Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THERE’S LOTS MAUR TO COME
Allen backs Poch to stay and reach new heights.. IF he gets transfer cash to spend
MAURICIO POCHETTINO is about to work another miracle – but he needs Tottenham to spend big in January to do it.
That’s the verdict of club great Clive Allen, who graced White Hart Lane as a player and coach.
Spurs are in the doldrums after a mixed summer in the transfer market, a nightmare start to the season, and unrest around the future of Poch and several players.
But Allen, famous for scoring a club-record 49 goals in 1986-87, insists there is no chance the team’s most successful manager of recent times will walk away.
And the 58-year-old former England striker believes Pochettino is about to turn things around – with the board’s full backing. He said: “I don’t think they’ll lose him.
“Mauricio has a good relationship with the chairman Daniel Levy. His frustration is that they didn’t win the Champions League and he’s had to start again. But he can do that. There’s been a hangover from the final and there comes a time when it has to move forward with new players. I’m sure come January they will add to the squad.
“They are still best placed to finish third behind Manchester City and Liverpool in the
Premier League.”
In his new autobiography ‘Up Front’ Allen recalls being part of the coaching set-up when
Harry Redknapp asked
Levy for Carlos Tevez and Gary Cahill in
January 2012 and got
Louis Saha and Ryan Nelsen on frees instead.
He still believes that failure contributed to Spurs failing to make the Champions League that year. But he insists times are different now – for one big £1bn reason. Allen said: “The chairman and directors have delivered in a big way with the training ground, and the new stadium, which is probably the best in the world. “They will attract the top players with the revenue it will produce. And you need that fresh face coming through the door. “Tanguy Ndombele came in during the summer, so there was some competition in the midfield area. But you’ve got to move forwards. If you stand still you go backwards.
“There’s no doubt they are looking to bring in new players. And others coming to the end of their contracts will move on.”