Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino must prove he can handle his disgruntled stars
With Toby Alderweireld, Mousa Dembele and Danny Rose heading for the exit door, Poch's track record with senior players is coming under question
SO Mauricio Pochettino has reacted to Tottenham’s FA Cup semi-final defeat by threatening to play the kids in the competition next season.
The most obvious response to which is: Will he have anyone left to choose from other than kids?
With Toby Alderweireld, Mousa Dembele and Danny Rose heading for the exit door, while Hugo Lloris’ form causes major concern inside the club, there may be precious few experienced players left.
There is no question Pochettino is one of the best coaches, and most gifted developers of young talent, in world football.
In four years at Tottenham, he has constructed a team unit both solid and hugely watchable.
Spurs are about to qualify for the Champions League for a third straight season, and become the best team in London, despite spending far less money than any top-six rival.
These are outstanding achievements, as meaningful as winning domestic cups.
Real Madrid would not hold a serious long-term interest in him were this not the case.
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Yet despite all this there must be questions over whether Pochettino can take Spurs any further and win silverware — or indeed whether he would be a success in the very different environment of the Bernabeu.
ASTRONOMICAL price rises for seats at the FA Cup final.
Late changes to the dates of Championship fixtures, to suit armchair viewers, after you’ve already bought your ticket.
Reasoned arguments for safe-standing areas ignored by the sports minister, who simply tells you to sit down and shut up instead.
And soon there’ll be no more instinctive goal celebrations — the most joyous part of any visit to a football ground — while you wait for the VAR to make his judgment in a system designed for a TV audience, which leaves you entirely in the dark.
Yet when there are empty seats, they’ll accuse you of lacking ‘loyalty’...