Mauricio Pochettino Wants Tottenham to Become a Big Club
A big goal of Mauricio Pochettino and Tottenham’s, is to turn Spurs into one of the world’s biggest football clubs.
Tottenham are a big club in England — the sixth biggest — but around the world and even in Europe, Spurs are on the cusp of reaching that level. But they’re not there just yet.
In order for Spurs to sit alongside some of world football’s biggest clubs, Mauricio Pochettino hopes to close this sizeable gap by continuing a project he has started since May 2014.
With Pochettino’s Tottenham side hosting league leaders Manchester City and Pep Guardiola on Sunday, not only could Spurs come within a point of first place, but show that their way of building a squad is feasible despite teams lavishly spending every year in the transfer market.
After returning to the Premier League in the early 2000s, the Citizens would be purchased in 2008 by the Abu Dhabi United Group who have turned the club into one of the wealthiest in the world. Buying the best players in the world has seen Man City win six major honors since 2011: two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two League Cups and one FA Community Shield.
Over time, Tottenham hope to win trophies once again, but their path will be difficult, financially speaking. Spurs can generate money but spending it is another issue entirely.
Though if last season’s unprecedented run has shown us anything, its that Spurs can get the job done with minimal key acquisitions and mostly homegrown players rather than going on a spending spree.
More from Tottenham News
- Storybook ending after difficult period for Tottenahm’s Richarlison
- Tottenham comeback showcased invaluable intangible Ange has cultivated
- Tottenham player ratings in 2-1 comeback win over Sheffield United
- Tottenham projected starting 11 for Sheffield United
- Tottenham’s Richarlison says he’s going to seek psychological help
It’ll take time before one of Mauricio Pochettino’s goals of turning Tottenham into one of the world’s biggest football clubs becomes a reality. But since he’s arrived, they’ve started closing that gap each year.
“Maybe we are a little behind them but our expectation in the long term is to compete with all the big clubs like Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool,” Pochettino said (via Evening Standard).
“It’s important for us. Since 2014 we have been building a different project. We are building a new stadium, we have an unbelievable training ground and we want to set the principles to be a big, big club. Our spirit and ambition is to be one of the biggest in the world, but you need time and a normal process.”
“It is difficult to compare Tottenham and Manchester City. You look at their budget, the salaries they pay and compare it with Tottenham, and it is very clear.”
“If you look at my first season here, 2014-15, and compare it with Guardiola’s – how much he has spent, and how much I spend then. We have very different projects.”
The term “pay to win” seems to be looked with disdain, like it’s tainted. Especially when clubs happen to sign world-class footballers as opposed to just good players.
At the end of the day, winning championships is what every team strives for and clubs must spend some money to upgrade their rosters. How teams decide to spend their money will be different, hence Mauricio Pochettino comparing his first year with Spurs to that of Pep Guardiola with Manchester City.
According to Transfer League, Tottenham spent £28 million during the 2014-15 season. Man City this past summer alone? That would be £169 million.
Whether Guardiola wins a trophy this season is too far into the future, but teams who tend to win a championship throughout Europe had to spend money. It’s the quickest and easiest way to remain competitive every single year.
Next: Tottenham and Manchester City Combined Starting XI
Spurs, under Pochettino, will only look to upgrade when he feels a player will make an impact on his team either as a starter or bench player. And so far, the Argentine manager has stuck with that plan for the past two seasons.
Until Tottenham’s stadium is fully paid off and they regularly achieve Champions League, maybe Mauricio Pochettino will convince Daniel Levy to open up his checkbook. So far though, what money they currently have has gone into extending their own players which is another good strategy too.