POCH: WE DON’T NEED TO WIN TITLE TO PROVE WE’RE A BIG CLUB
MAURICIO POCHETTINO insists he does not need to win a trophy to be a success at Tottenham.
Pochettino claimed silverware is not the be-all and end-all and argued finishing in the top four with Spurs is as big a triumph as lifting a trophy at other super clubs like Barcelona.
Pochettino (above and, right, with Harry Kane) is two wins away from his first piece of silverware as Tottenham boss after guiding them to today’s FA Cup semi-final against title rivals Chelsea.
A trophy would answer all those who believe Spurs need something tangible to show for all the progress they have made under Pochettino.
But he said: “Here at Tottenham is a massive success. Yes, you can win titles. But with which teams?
“It is normal to win titles with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, maybe Juventus, Porto in Portugal.
“With a big team, you are already very close to winning. Look at Barcelona with Pep, with Tito Vilanova, with Frank Rijkaard, with Luis Enrique. All different managers but with the same group of players and they were successful.
“Success for me is to finish in the top four like last season. It was a big success for Tottenham and means maybe more than winning one title with Barcelona.
“I dream of lifting trophies but the way I did with Espanyol. Two Copa del Reys – with Espanyol! That is why I admire Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. It is so difficult to win with Atletico Madrid. He deserves more credit maybe than some others. “At Spurs, you always like a manager and a player who lifts the trophies. But come on! We will arrive there, we are ambitious. “But for me success is not only to lift a trophy. How you arrive in a position to lift trophies is more important. “I have not changed my desire to lift trophies from when I was at Espanyol. And as a kid playing for Boca Juniors or River Plate, it was normal to win – not playing for (his old club) Newell’s Old Boys. “But I liked that challenge. If you are there but are not spending the money and are still challenging, that is what I like the most. “If we can achieve in the end maybe the Premier League or the FA Cup, or the top four again, I think it’s a massive achievement for the team.”