LONDON • 'Tis the season to be jolly and Mauricio Pochettino has urged fans to be more positive and cheer on Tottenham despite their lack of summer spending, saying that he wants to change perceptions of the club.
Speaking at a pre-match conference ahead of today's Premier League match at Everton, the Spurs manager said: "If we don't sign in January, people say we are going to struggle - it's all negative.
"They don't say, 'Tottenham didn't sign anyone because they believe they have the tools to maybe challenge for the title.'
"The doubt is always negative, never positive. We need to fight with this perception and to be proud of the team."
Despite all of their rivals spending in pre-season in their bid to win the league title, Spurs did not sign a single player - the first time a Premier League club failed to do so since the inception of the transfer window in 2003.
The club are also unlikely to spend when the window opens next month owing mainly to fees being used to build their new stadium.
Pochettino added that it was a shame that people criticised the arrival of Paulo Gazzaniga from Southampton last year, after the goalkeeper proved doubters wrong during the 2-0 League Cup win over Arsenal in midweek.
GLASS HALF-FULL
If we don't sign players people say we are going to struggle - it's all negative. They don't say, 'Tottenham didn't sign anyone because they believe they have the tools to maybe challenge for the title.'
MAURICIO POCHETTINO, Spurs manager, hits back at the doubters who question the club's recent lack of transfer activity.
"Look at the case of when we signed Paulo Gazzaniga, people criticise, 'Oh, he signed the third keeper'," the Argentinian said.
"The perception was, 'Oh, we cannot announce the player from Southampton because it looks like we don't have ambition.'
"It's a shame, because after 11/2 years, Paulo kept a clean sheet in the derby against Arsenal for the first time at the Emirates and he was fantastic."
Despite Spurs' lack of signings, the club have enjoyed their best-ever start to a Premier League campaign and are likely title contenders.
But Pochettino agreed that the title race was developing into a two-horse race - such is the form of the two teams above them.
"(Manchester) City and Liverpool are at the top. It is normal they're the two big candidates to win the Premier League," he said.
"Today, it's impossible to say if we are going to have the chance to fight for the title. The most important thing is to have the faith that we can compete."
Still, Spurs could close the gap in the festive season. After Liverpool's win over Wolves on Friday, Tottenham trail the leaders by nine points and City, who were shocked 3-2 by Crystal Palace, by five points.
But Liverpool face a tough run of festive fixtures with Arsenal at home on Dec 29 followed by a trip to City on Jan 3. Spurs in contrast, face a relatively easier time against Bournemouth, Wolves and Cardiff before New Year's Day.
Pochettino was also asked if he was eager to win his first trophy since he was appointed in 2014, with Spurs having made it to the League Cup semi-finals.
"Closer? I think it's a long way still," said the 46-year-old, who is contracted to Tottenham till 2023.
"I think we're playing against Chelsea over two legs and of course it's going to be our fourth or fifth semi-final in 41/2 years.
"But we're so far away. There's a lot of work to do."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
EVERTON V TOTTENHAM
Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub Ch227, 11.55pm
The closest bank is now in your hand. Life is busy. You need banking that is safe, convenient and full of features to bank when you and where you want. People's United Bank gives you 24/7 access to bank when you want, from wherever you are.
United Bank
Portugal coach Fernando Santos believes that talismanic forward Cristiano Ronaldo can continue playing at the highest level for both club and country for at least three to four years. The 34-year-old does not quite have the pace of old but showed with his hat-trick in the 3-1 Nations League win over Switzerland on Wednesday that he remains
Portugal coach says Ronaldo can stay at the top for several
SINGAPORE - Ikhsan Fandi's rich vein of scoring form continues as the Singapore striker found the net in his third consecutive match for second-tier Norwegian club Raufoss IL in just 11 days. On Wednesday (May 22), the 20-year-old opened the scoring at third-tier Fram Larvik in the 33rd minute of the second-round Norwegian Football Cup tie.
Football: Ikhsan Fandi scores in third successive match for
virginiabus.info/sports/football-ikhsan-fandi-scores-in-third-successive-match-for-raufoss/
SINGAPORE - Ikhsan Fandi's rich vein of scoring form continues as the Singapore striker found the net in his third consecutive match for second-tier Norwegian club Raufoss IL in just 11 days. On Wednesday (May 22), the 20-year-old opened the scoring at third-tier Fram Larvik in the 33rd minute of the second-round Norwegian Football Cup tie.
WATCH: Singapore's Ikhsan Fandi scores again for Raufoss IL
SINGAPORE - Our Tampines Hub will be screening the Uefa Champions League final for free on Sunday (June 2). Tampines residents and visitors to the Hub can catch the 3am game between Liverpool and
Our Tampines Hub to screen Champions League final - tnp.sg
Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian captain Thiago Silva has been granted French citizenship, he announced on Twitter on Friday. The 34-year-old's decision means PSG have an extra space in their squad for a non-EU player. Silva has played 274 games since joining the reigning Ligue 1 champions in 2012 and has 77 caps for Brazil.
Football: PSG captain Thiago Silva receives French citizenship
Jose Mourinho says he has rejected three job offers since his sacking by Manchester United before aiming a dig at his former club over transfers. Mourinho was dismissed for the third time in
Jose Mourinho reveals deadline for return to football after
The Singapore national football team is the association football national team of the city-state of Singapore. It is organised by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS). The most significant successes of the team have come in the regional AFF Championship , which Singapore has won four times in 1998 , 2004-05 , 2007 , and 2012 .
Newspapers | Media | Virginia Bus
virginiabus.info/sports/football-my-players-must-want-the-ball-says-new-lions-coach-tatsuma-yoshida/
He was accompanied by Albirex Niigata Under-15s coach Ryo Ishibashi,serving as a translator, while assistant coach Nazri Nasir also bellowed instructions in Malay. Yoshida said: "Football is all about coordinating your physical abilities with your thoughts, and I wanted the players' passing to be rhythmical.
Home Sports 'He's great to watch, but he's not God': Pope sets fans straight Sports 'He's great to watch, but he's not God': Pope sets fans straight on Messi
'He's great to watch, but he's not God' - Pope sets fans
Injured Suarez to miss China Cup for Uruguay. Suarez, 32, is expected to miss between 10 and 15 days after limping off late in Sunday's 4-1 win at Real Betis in La Liga.
Luis Suarez to miss China Cup for Uruguay due to ankle sprain
'We can score at Barca', Football News & Top Stories - The
Football: Five games that tipped the scales in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's favour for the United job Related Story Football: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gives stars 'licence to express', says Dwight Yorke
Obsession with past leaves Solskjær's United stuck in a
Jurgen Klopp has called for calm despite Borussia Dortmund experiencing a slump in form Dortmund's Sebastian Kehl, Shinji Kagawa and Ilkay Guendogan lead the team during a training session
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp 'calm' after watching Manchester
Pray for no rain: Man City to return to China after Beijing debacle Manchester City will return to China this year for the first time since their ill-fated visit of 2016, when a game with cross-town rivals United was called off at the last minute.
Pray for no rain: Man City to return to China after Beijing
The Professional Footballers' Association is calling on social media platforms to improve their response to racism after their anti-racism campaign was met with more vile abuse.
Democrats Heighten Calls for Trump's Impeachment | Voice of
0 comments:
Post a Comment