Mauricio Pochettino reiterates his belief that FA Cup success not the be-all and end-all for Tottenham
Spurs play Manchester United in the semi-final on Saturday, giving them the chance to go one better than their semi-final exit last season
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Your support makes all the difference.Mauricio Pochettino has re-iterated his personal belief that, as much as he wants Tottenham Hotspur to win the FA Cup this season, it will not change his life or the future of the club.
Spurs play Manchester United in the semi-final on Saturday, giving them the chance to go one better than their semi-final exit last season, and a real chance to win the first piece of Pochettino silverware that their fans have waited so long for.
But Pochettino has always made clear that his priority is to win the Premier League or the Champions League, and his work is about taking this team to the level where they can do that. Which is why winning the FA Cup or the League Cup have never been his priority. While he acknowledged again at his Thursday lunchtime press conference that it would be “fantastic” to win the FA Cup, he said once again that it was neither the be-all nor the end-all for Spurs’ season. No matter how Spurs fans might feel about it.
“It’s fantastic if Southampton, Chelsea, Manchester United or Tottenham win the FA Cup,” Pochettino said, denying that they or any other team ‘need’ to win the cup.
“Is it going to change our life? I don’t believe. I don’t believe. We are going to try and fight to win, but it is not about need or not need. it’s about a title that would be fantastic to finish the season, play in the final and win trophy. At the end it would be fantastic the finish the season with a trophy. I don’t think it’s about need or not need.”
Whenever Spurs play in the FA Cup or League Cup Pochettino is asked about this, to explain a view which runs counter to the traditional values of English football. Here, he explained again why his job is to raise Spurs’ level. If that takes them to winning cups, of course that is good, but the two are not linked quite as closely as some think. And reaching a higher level without trophies is preferable to staying at the same level but winning one.
“Every press conference you ask,” Pochettino said. “Always my answer is the same. If we are capable to win the Premier League and the Champions League, it is a moment you say the team has improved and reached the next level. Until that, win the FA Cup or the League Cup, it will be fantastic for our fans but is not going to move the club to a different level. That is my opinion, some people respect it, some people don’t.”
There are plenty of recent examples of teams who won cups but then fell away, not least 2013 FA Cup winners Wigan Athletic, who now play in League One. That is why Pochettino does not think that winning this year’s cup will be as important as some people do. And he knows how many steps Spurs have made under his management already.
“The problem is the short memory that people sometimes have,” Pochettino said. “When we arrived here four years ago, all that people were talking about was to reduce the gap to the top four. The challenge was to play Champions League. Remember your questions. It was: if we are not capable to play in the Champions League or in Europe – first of all, it was in Europe – how can we retain our best players? And then how can we attract good players?”
“And then we move on, and move on, and go higher and higher and now, it is to win. Of course. But I promise you the club is not going to change if you win or don’t win the FA Cup or the Capital One Cup. It would be fantastic to add that trophy to the club but what would put us to a different level would be to win the Premier League or Champions League. That is going to put you in a different level.”
Even with the budgetary restrictions on Spurs, Pochettino’s ‘vision’ is to win the biggest trophies. Even if that means being so ambitious as to slightly aim over and above the more conventional medals. “I want to play to win the Premier League and Champions League, it is my vision,” he said. “I want to play to win the Premier League, I want to win the Champions League. If we can play to try to win the FA Cup then fantastic. If you are going to change the vision or put the club in a different level you must compete for and win the Premier League. and then compete for and win the Champions League.”
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