POCH IS MAKING A MOVE
Spurs boss desperate for new stadium switch
MAURICIO POCHETTINO wants Tottenham to move back to White Hart Lane this season – even for just one game.
But the Spurs boss admitted his third-placed team will have to win every match to stand a chance of catching the leaders, starting against Leicester tomorrow.
Pochettino thinks it’s going to be tough to leave Wembley for their new 62,000-seater arena.
The March 2 north London derby against Arsenal has been ruled out as a first game and there will only be five home games after that.
But Pochettino said: “(Chairman) Daniel (Levy) still believes. He is working hard in order to deliver.
“The club has my opinion. My opinion is: ‘Move’. If we can play one or five games, I want to move.
“Even for one game, I take the risk and move. I am brave.
“Lift the league trophy in the new stadium? Exactly. Or we lose it. But in your home.
“I always prefer to play at home and in my stadium and my house. I hope that happens.”
There could be an outcry from other Premier League clubs if Spurs moved so late in the season, and Pochettino admitted: “Most clubs would prefer to play against us at Wembley. Did you see the last few games how many people were there? 30,000. When you have the capacity of 90,000 and you play in front of 30,000 I think it is a massive advantage for the opponent.
“I want to play in front of 60,000 – not 30,000. It’s going to be a massive boost and massive impact to move to the new stadium – and that’s going to translate to the team.”
Tottenham’s title tilt will also be helped by Harry Kane’s early return from an ankle injury, possibly for the Burnley clash on February 23.
“He’s so close to come back again,” said the Spurs boss. “Not for Sunday, not for Wednesday, but we will see after.”
Pochettino, who is unhappy the Leicester game has been put back until tomorrow for TV ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League tie with Borussia Dormund, added:
“We need to win all the games.
“That is the idea as there is a five-point gap with the top. For me the most important game is this one – we must win.
“It’s like a cup final. In my mind this game is key if we want to be there fighting until the end.” CLAUDE PUEL insists he has no problem with Jamie Vardy despite his star striker appearing to call him a ‘f***ing k**bhead’.
TV cameras picked up Vardy’s comment as he left the pitch after Leicester’s 1-0 home defeat by Manchester United.
Puel was in conversation with United midfielder and fellow Frenchman Paul Pogba at the time as Vardy appeared to say, ‘Why’s he talking to them – f***ing k**bhead.’
But yesterday Puel said: “I have a good relationship with him. We know Jamie – after he lost he is angry. It’s normal for a player.
“If I thought one of my players was disrespectful to me or the club there would be a sanction but that was not the case.
“I have a relationship with my player. After we discuss things with the player – these things are between us. I have said what I want to say about this.”
There has been a simmering friction between the two with former England striker Vardy admitting recently that Puel’s style of play doesn’t suit his game.
But the Foxes boss gave the issue short-shrift as he prepared for tomorrow’s trip to Tottenham.
Instead, he has other issues on his mind, not least dealing with the news that winger Marc Albrighton has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.
Albrighton was injured in training and Puel revealed that the 29-year-old is set to have surgery and won’t be back before the end of the campaign.