WEMBLEY IS THE PERFECT HOME FOR POCHETTINO
GROWING up on a farm in Argentina, Mauricio Pochettino would marvel at grainy photographs from the distant footballing Mecca called Wembley. There was Antonio Rattin, sent off in a World Cup quarter-final when Sir Alf Ramsey branded England’s opponents ‘animals’ and banned his players from swapping shirts. And an FA Cup final with Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricardo Villa, fellow Argentines who spin their yarns whenever they visit the Tottenham boss now. ‘Wembley for me was like the moon, like another galaxy,’ said Pochettino. ‘It was like a big wow. Sometimes you heard things on radio or TV. I saw the pictures of Rattin, sitting on the red carpet, and when Ossie and Ricky are here, I love to listen.’ When Pochettino fulfilled his dream, playing there for Argentina in a friendly against England, it only enhanced the magic. ‘It is where football was born and now there is a possibility to play there every two weeks, or maybe every week or sometimes three times in one week. A problem? Oh, come on, I love Wembley. If we are not able to win there it is not because of Wembley, it is because of us.’ Yet Pochettino still has to address a mental block as Tottenham prepare for their first game of the season at their adopted home. Using Wembley for European games last season, they won one in four and that was a dead rubber. When they returned for the FA Cup semi-final, they lost again, beaten by tomorrow’s opponents Chelsea. However, Antonio Conte’s summer recruitment hasn’t gone to plan, Diego Costa is AWOL in Brazil, and Chelsea started their defence by losing at home to Burnley, a game they finished with nine men. When Conte was asked if it might be a good time to face Tottenham, with the Wembley hoodoo on their minds, he shook his head and said: ‘I don’t think it’s a great time to play them.’ Spurs have momentum, having won 13 of their last 14 Premier League games and victory would inflict serious damage on Conte.