POCH: I NEED 10 YEARS TO FIX MENTALITY
TOTTENHAM do not have the right mind-set to win the Premier League title, manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted yesterday.
Spurs had the chance to reduce the gap on Liverpool and Manchester City last weekend when they travelled to Burnley, but despite a goalscoring return from injury by Harry Kane, they slumped to a 2-1 defeat.
The Argentine said: ‘If we want to be real contenders, Burnley is a must-win game. I am so frustrated because we didn’t show more attitude than Burnley, we didn’t show more energy when we are fighting for the Premier League.
‘If we don’t have the will to show that, we don’t deserve more. My worry is to change that is not five years’ work, maybe it is 10 years’ work.’
Spurs face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tonight looking to do a ‘double’ over their rivals for the first time since 1970-71.
TOTTENHAM manager Mauricio Pochettino read the riot act to his players following their defeat by Burnley on Saturday. And the Argentine pulled no punches yesterday as he questioned his team’s motivation after the loss at Turf Moor — a result Pochettino says proves his side are not capable of winning the Premier League title. The Spurs boss fears it could take another five years to change the squad’s mentality. Pochettino stormed on to the pitch to confront referee Mike Dean after the defeat against Sean Dyche’s side — actions that prompted the FA to charge the Spurs boss. The 46-year-old has cooled down now, admitting yesterday he will accept any punishment before apologising to Dean. But Pochettino, whose side face Chelsea tonight, is concerned the Burnley defeat will have greater ramifications for his squad. ‘If we want to be real contenders, Burnley is a must-win game. It’s unacceptable to lose,’ he said. ‘If you lose you cannot say afterwards you are a real contender. In the last 10 or 12 games of the season, you have to be strong and dominate all the aspects of the game if you want to show you are a real contender. ‘What we showed on Saturday was that we are a good team, that we have good quality, but that is not enough to win a title like the Premier League. ‘That’s the reality. The players think the same. If you’re not capable of beating Burnley when you are going for the title, then it’s impossible to think that you are going to win the title. ‘The reality today is it’s going to be tough to win the Premier League, but because of us — not because Liverpool are much better or another team are much better. I am so frustrated because we didn’t show more attitude than Burnley, we didn’t show more energy than Burnley, we didn’t show more ambition than them when we are fighting for the Premier League. That is what worried me.’ Pochettino admits his players will have no issues motivating themselves for tonight’s derby against bitter rivals Chelsea. But ensuring the levels of ambition remain high against the likes of Burnley, Watford and Wolves — who have all beaten Spurs this season — is the key to a trophy-winning formula. ‘It’s easy to go to Chelsea and be motivated to play, and play against Arsenal or Borussia Dortmund,’ he said. ‘That’s easy, you don’t need a manager to tell you that, because that’s normal. But you play for the Premier League in the big games like Burnley. ‘The pitch is dry, the changing room is not so big like at Wembley — but you need to respect and the way you respect is to go there and show more ambition, more attitude, more capacity to fight and we did not. ‘If we don’t have the will to show that, then we don’t deserve more. It’s to be honest with ourselves, not to find an excuse. ‘That is what is holding us back. My worry is to change that is not only five years’ work, maybe it is 10 years’ work. ‘Of course, I have told my players
this. They know very well — I told them before, during and after the game. ‘I am not upset with them. I am only so surprised that we cannot build that feeling that the game (against Burnley) was going to be the most important game.’ On his impending punishment by the FA over his rant at Dean, the Spurs manager added: ‘Watching afterwards my behaviour on TV, I think I need to accept the charge from the FA. ‘At the same time I need to apologise to Mike Dean. If I was right or wrong in the way I complained, I cannot behave in that way. ‘My behaviour wasn’t too bad but there is a limit you cannot cross.’