Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham have to win a trophy this season for it to be a success.
Pochettino has delivered four successive top-four finishes in the Premier League without spending anywhere near the same sort of money as Spurs’ rivals, but his lack of silverware is often highlighted.
They came close to “touching glory” by getting to the Champions League final last season, where they lost to Liverpool, while they also got to the semi-final of the Carabao Cup.
Pochettino has seen Spurs spend north of £100million this summer in bringing Tanguy N’Dombele, Giovani Lo Celso, Ryan Sessegnon and Jack Clarke to the club as chairman Daniel Levy acted on his manager’s demand to behave like a big club in the transfer market.
The Argentinian has previously said that the FA Cup and Carabao Cup are not important, but now, with a new stadium and a strong-looking squad, he knows he needs to start filling the trophy cabinet.
“My personal feeling is that starting my sixth season I need to lift a trophy,” he admitted. “Carabao Cup, FA Cup, Premier League or Champions League.
“I am not saying it is time. I don’t want to put pressure on the team or the club.
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“But if you ask me personally, this season is not about finishing in the top four to be successful – although of course maybe that matters for the club.
Mauricio Pochettino has his sights set on silverware (Martin Rickett/PA)
“But for me, it is about winning some title – the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup, the Premier League of the Champions League.
“If not, after last season’s final, to be again in the top four and reach the semi-final of the Carabao Cup, it is like, ‘Come on!’
“You are always there but you cannot touch the glory. That is personally – me. My personal target, objective, aim to be successful this season is to lift a trophy.”
Much of Pochettino’s success at Spurs has been down to his man-management and that will be put to the test with Danny Rose.
Rose was left at home while Spurs went on their pre-season tour in order to sort a move away from the club, but nothing – in this country at least – materialised.
Danny Rose will stay at Tottenham after no bids were made for the defender (John Walton/PA)
It looks like he will be integrated back into the squad and Pochettino insists there is no issue between the two.
“In between the club, the player and the agent, things can happen,” he said. “I am going to coach the player. I don’t know what is going on between the club to take some decisions.
“You know very well, it is my sixth season that I am not involved in negotiations or in deals with the player and the agent.
“I don’t have an agent, I don’t deal with agents, I don’t deal with money. I don’t deal with anything related to that.
“I have my relationship with them (the players) and it is excellent with all the players.
“Of course, it’s not a problem. My relationship with all the players, not only with one or another who have five years or one year.
“My relationship is OK. They know clearly and the agents know how they need to proceed for different things with the club.”
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