Poch and Rose call truce in bid to ease pay row
Defender apologises to Spurs
MAURICIO Pochettino addressed the thorny issue of Danny rose with care, so much so that he flicked nervously between Spanish and English for the first time in months.
Pochettino said ‘of course’ rose has a future at Tottenham and ‘of course’ he does not want to see his left back sold.
The Spurs manager does not get involved in contractual negotiations but does have the final word when it comes to the proposed sale of one of his first-team players.
It was the case when Kyle Walker was sold to Manchester City for £54million and it is the same with rose, coveted by City, Manchester united and Chelsea.
Pochettino is determined not to lose both his wing-backs in one summer, although rose believes he was offered encouragement from the board earlier in the year that he would be allowed to leave for a fee of more than £50m.
His frustration erupted in an interview in The Sun this week, when he criticised Tottenham’s strength in depth, pay structure and transfer policy, and stressed his desire to win trophies and play in the north.
Pochettino chose his words cautiously but did let loose in response to rose’s theory that Spurs should sign players ‘you don’t have to Google’.
‘Nobody knew players like Eric Dier who are internationals today,’ he said. ‘Or Dele Alli, who was in League One. Or N’Golo Kante. I don’t think it’s a matter to joke about.
‘I’m sure, when I arrived here, five years ago, people said, “Who is Pochettino?”
‘I’m sure they used Google to find out, but the problem was that straight away they found the penalty with Michael Owen. That situation killed me. But it’s OK to look now.’
Pochettino is now acknowledged as one of the top coaches in the Premier League.
In three years, he has transformed Spurs into title challengers, improving players such as rose who made his England debut last year and has 12 caps.
Much of his progress has been fuelled by the unity of his squad and for one of them to break ranks and complain about pay will reverberate inside the club, even if no one is prepared to admit it.
Europe’s wealthiest clubs will be coming off a long run for Tottenham’s prized assets Harry Kane and Dele Alli next year, and they will be encouraged if a pay dispute is rumbling at the club.
Pochettino promised to ‘forgive’ rose who apologised via his agent yesterday before the manager’s media briefings ahead of tomorrow’s Premier League game at Newcastle.
‘Having had time to consider my actions, I acknowledge now that the timing and manner of what I said was illjudged,’ said the statement from rose.
‘My words were not meant to offend and for that I would like to apologise to the chairman, manager, my team-mates and the fans.’
Pochettino said: ‘ The reaction is good to apologise to everyone. He gave his opinion and apologised for what he said. I was young, too. I was a player. I made a lot of mistakes.’
rose has been out with a knee injury since January and is ‘a few weeks’ from a return to full training according to the latest bulletin from Tottenham.
‘He needs to be focused and try to be fit as soon as possible,’ said Pochettino.
‘We are providing the tools for him to be ready again and see if he can help the team to achieve our targets.
‘He is our player. He signed a five-year contract last year. No one forces him to sign a contract.
‘Tottenham are an exciting club with a great future. We are here because we want to be here.’
Pochettino also promised a flurry of late activity before the transfer window closes.
‘Of course we will sign, like every season, maybe on the last day,’ he said. ‘We will sign players we believe can help us challenge for the things we want to challenge for.
‘Tottenham always spend money and sign players at the end of the transfer window. I don’t understand why it’s a big issue now. We will work hard until the end.’
Spurs have made a bid for Celta Vigo midfielder Pape Cheikh Diop who has a release clause of close to £25m.