Poch up for Prem title push
AFTER two near misses, Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino will accept nothing less than winning the title this season.
He is now more than three years into a four year project and believes the time is right to strike.
The Argentine has won many admirers but is yet to win a trophy despite introducing lots of young talent. Why?
He said: “It’s a good question because I think I need to explain what it means to win a trophy. I want to win the Premier League.
“I don’t say that it is not important to win the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup or the Europa League.
“But for me, every season Tottenham should have the possibility to win the Premier League and to win the Champions League.
“They are the two most important trophies and that is our challenge.
“Okay, we can prepare the team to win the Carabao Cup but we are thinking of an important trophy.
“If one day I am not capable of winning the Premier League here with Tottenham, or we don’t have the chance to win the Premier League, I think it will be very disappointing.
“I want to win the Premier League. I want to win the Champions League. For me, they are the real trophies.
“Okay, sometimes there are some coincidences. You can win the FA Cup because of the draw, or the League Cup because of the draw, or the Europa League because for different reasons the big clubs are more focused on the other competitions than the Europa League.
“For me, to win a trophy means to win the Premier League or the Champions League.
“If you win the Premier League, or if you win the Champions League it shows you are the best in England or the best in Europe. For me we need to push Tottenham and we need to try to challenge.” HART TO HART: Spurs’ new ground at White Hart Lane LODGERS: Spurs’ new home at Wembley
CHELSEA manager Antonio Conte warned Spurs they could be in a for a bumpy ride playing games this season at stop-gap home Wembley.
And he is speaking from bitter experience.
The London rivals meet at the national stadium today – with the venue adding spark to a game Conte needs to win to prove last season’s title triumph was not a fluke.
As a player and coach he vividly recalls Juventus’ struggles after leaving their ancestral Stadio Comunale and moving to 1990 World Cup venue the Stadio delle Alpi.
An unpopular switch, Juve moved out in 2006 then played at the Stadio Olimpico, before moving into a new home in 2011.
Conte said: “For sure it was a key moment for Juventus. I think there is a big difference. I played a lot in the Delle Alpi as a player.
“It wasn’t a real stadium. It was very cold and you don’t feel the passion of the fans because the stand was very far from the pitch.
“When we returned to play in the Juventus Stadium, the situation changed totally for the players.
“The players felt the fans behind them. It is great.
“Stamford Bridge is similar to the Juventus Stadium and is a really good stadium.
“For sure, it is not the same when you don’t play in your stadium. It is different. But if you want to take another big step to improve the club, you must have this type of situation.”
Chelsea are also thinking of moving out while they increase the capacity of Stamford Bridge.
Conte added: “For sure the new stadium will be fantastic for the club, for the coach, for the players.”
And the Blues boss revealed he wants to be there when the work is completed in four years’ time to create his own piece of history.
Only Dave Sexton and John Neal have managed to survive a similar length of time as manager in recent years. Conte said: “I want to break this bad record.
“I must be positive. When I start a job with a new club, I hope to stay at this club for many years.
“It means you have the chance to work with the same players, to improve those players.
“Why not? I hope it happens because this could be a fantastic challenge for me and also for the club, to stay together and also to play with this team in a new stadium.
“Honestly, the new stadium will be great. I love Stamford Bridge. I feel Stamford Bridge is like my house. But to play in a new stadium would be great.”
Conte wants to milk Tottenham’s unhappy record at Wembley and get his own show back on the road.
Not that Chelsea have a great recent record of their own at Wembley, having lost twice within a year there to Arsenal.
Conte relishes playing Spurs after Apr 2017: Chelsea 4 Spurs 2 Jan 2017: Spurs 2 Chelsea 0 Nov 2016: Chelsea 2 Spurs 1 May 2016: Chelsea 2 Spurs 2 Nov 2015: Spurs 0 Chelsea 0 Spurs – 51 wins Chelsea – 67 wins Draws – 40