Tottenham Manager Jokes About Barcelona Links
By Ryan Wrenn
Mauricio Pochettino has developed something of a reputation for being coy, but Tottenham fans might take heart at his reaction to rumored Barcelona links this week.
Tottenham was put on alert Wednesday after Barcelona manager Luis Enrique announced his intent to leave the Catalan club at the end of the season.
Pochettino immediately entered into the running to follow the brief but prolific reign of Enrique. Though he had previously denied his interest when presented with it as a hypothetical in the weeks prior to Enrique’s announcement, reality might — pessimists feared — change matters.
It was inevitable, then, that he would be faced with questions in regard to the elite vacancy ahead of Sunday’s match against Everton.
Pressed to answer at the pre-match press conference, Pochettino made light of the rumors — while taking the chance to praise Tottenham (hat-tip, The Guardian).
"I don’t take this as being flattering. I just understand that we are at one of the biggest clubs in Europe – because, for me, Tottenham is one of the biggest clubs – and you can see that we play very good football, we have an exciting team and very good players. So it’s normal that we’ve called the attention of the rest of the clubs, of football people around the world. We are one of the exciting teams to watch but I don’t take it as flattering. Only that we are part of that business and our names always appear on the lists."
This is entirely consistent with Pochettino’s recent denials of interest. It also speaks to just how much his reputation has grown since arriving at Spurs.
Though his success at Espaynol and Southampton can’t be ignored, it is safe to say no one quite expected Pochettino’s rise at Tottenham to be quite so profound. He took a floundering ship, steadied it — then caught the wind.
He earned Tottenham’s first Champions League qualification since 2009/10, and seems set to do so again for a second consecutive season. Were it not for one or two unfortunate results last term, he might also have been the first Spurs manager in 20 years to finish above Arsenal in the table.
What’s more: the young team he has helped craft seemed set to only improve in the seasons to come. It’s no small wonder that a club like Barcelona, with a history of developing talent, would look to Pochettino as Enrique’s heir.
Pochettino’s project at Spurs has only just begun however. He enjoys the full backing of club chairman Daniel Levy, and indeed possesses an unprecedented level of control. It is unlikely that Barcelona’s ownership and fanbase — so accustomed to immediate gratification and trophies — would prove as forgiving and patient as the one he currently works with at Spurs.
Next: Tottenham Potentially Undermanned Two Days Prior to Everton Match
We didn’t need further proof that Pochettino won’t be fawning over Barca’s interest, but such a statement remains comforting nonetheless. He knows as well as the fans do that this Spurs project might take time, but will bear significant results.