MAURICIO POCHETTINO SAYS he is living his dream with Tottenham after guiding them to the Champions League semi-finals.
Ajax are Tottenham’s opponents in Tuesday’s first leg in north London, with the Eredivisie leaders having beaten Real Madrid and Juventus en route to the last four.
Spurs’ preparations for the tie took a turn for the worse on Saturday, as they slipped to a 1-0 home defeat to West Ham – their first loss at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, though Pochettino’s side remain in pole position in the race for Champions League qualification.
Having established Tottenham as Champions League regulars, Pochettino outlined that the next step is to win trophies, but insisted he is fulfilling his dream at Spurs regardless of any silverware.
“I am already living my dream. To be in a semi-final with Tottenham. It was a dream five years ago and now we are living it,” Pochettino told a news conference.
Always you have to dream. If you want to get to the moon, you always have to set your dreams to infinity and beyond.
“When you are ambitious and you want to achieve big things, you need to dream.
“I always was a dreamer. When I was very young, I dream that one day I would be a football player. Of course it was tough to achieve but I believe that when you are determined to achieve something it will take time to get.
“I can say I am 100% happy. Always you can try to do better, but I think we have done a very good job in the last five years.
“I would love to win the FA Cup, like the EFL Cup, or any competition. But it’s not about winning one cup, it’s about being real contenders for the Champions League and Premier League.
“We have a great opportunity to play a semi. It’s our first time. That is why you must respect the competition and the opponent. It’s going to be so tough.”
Tottenham overcame Manchester City in an epic quarter-final, despite missing leading scorer Harry Kane through injury.
The suspended Son Heung-min will join Kane in being reduced to the role of spectator on Tuesday.
But Pochettino believes his side have the spirit to cope without two key figures.
“We arrived where we are now because we are a team. We don’t care who’s going to score,” Pochettino said.
“We create a spirit that makes you believe all is possible. Of course we are going to miss players.
“We think like a team. To play a semi-final in our new stadium is something no one would have believed a few months ago. The motivation and happiness are bigger than any injury.”
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How’s Ian nagle getting on in Newcastle and is Tony Buckley still playing for sale, anyone no?
Hi Eamonn, Nagle hasn’t played for Newcastle’s senior team since joining. Not sure if he is carrying an injury, but there is some strong competition at lock there. Buckley is struggling to get into the Sale squad this season when fit, has played only four times off the bench in the Premiership, as well as a handful of appearances in the Amlin CC and LV= Cup.
Yeah hes injured.
Murray any chance you can start doing a roundup of ‘foreign Irish project players playing in Ireland’, it’s getting more and more difficult to keep up with them. Maybe you could include a countdown as to when their eligible.
Bring back Gareth Steenson to Connacht.He could really do a job for them and add cover for the World Cup squad.
What about Danny Barnes? How’s he getting on?
Charlie Mulchrone has signed for Worcester for next season.
Nice one Rory. I have added that into the piece now.
Why has Gareth Steenson not been called up to the Irish squad? He is far better than paddy Jackson and seems to be our second best 10 from a poor pool. He is also in the mould of ROG which would be a great asset off the bench to close out a game (I’m thinking of you NZ).
Steenson is a rubbish defender
“Matt Jarvis, the Irish-qualified former Connacht player, was at out-half for Nottingham, from where he kicked three penalties and three conversions. The 23-year-old spent two seasons with the western province, having previously represented Wales at U20 level.”
Wales’s second team is their U20s, meaning that because Matt Jarvis has played for them, he is not Irish qualified. Which is part of the reason why he didn’t stay in Connacht.
Was there not an appeal to the IRB about that which IRFU won?
Hi BallHandling, my understanding is that the IRB cleared Jarvis to play for Ireland following an appeal by the IRFU. Part of the issue was that he played for Wales U20 without having been informed that it could tie him down to them in the long-term.
Furthermore, his cap for Wales U20 came against France, who fielded an ‘A’ team in the Churchill Cup later that year. That meant that the U20 fixture hadn’t taken place between two sides who were designated as being their country’s second national team.
I may have that wrong, but that is my reasoning for tagging him as “Irish-qualified”, as you have quoted from the piece above.
You’re spot on Murray. …
I think you are correct Murray! Read that before a whole back.