Tottenham Hotspur take on Ajax in the Champions League this evening.
Pundit Danny Murphy has told Sky Sports’ The Debate that he thinks Mauricio Pochettino’s surprise comments were ‘tongue-in-cheek’ and nothing more.
Tottenham return to action this evening, travelling to Amsterdam for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final clash with Ajax.
Spurs have hit a real sticky patch of late, losing 1-0 in three successive games; home to West Ham United, home to Ajax and away to Bournemouth.
Tottenham need to come from behind to knock Ajax out of the Champions League and set up an all-Premier League final with Liverpool, but will again have to do it without the injured Harry Kane.
Ahead of tonight’s game, boss Pochettino spoke to the press, but his comments left many shocked as he suggested to BBC Sport that he would ‘do something different’ if he guides Spurs to win the Champions League.
Pochettino added that he wasn’t joking, believing that he couldn’t repeat such a miracle and might as well go home, given everything that has transpired against Spurs this season.
The comments have left Spurs fans legitimately worried that Pochettino could quit the club this summer if he wins the Champions League, but ex-Spurs midfielder Murphy has offered a different take.
Murphy believes that Pochettino was merely offering a tongue-in-cheek comment, adding that there was no substance to the suggestion he could leave, he was simply expressing what an incredible achievement it would be.
“It sounds to me like he’s saying ‘If I manage to win the Champions League with Spurs this season, with everything that’s gone on, maybe I should be somewhere else because I’m a miracle worker’, sort of thing,” said Murphy. “I don’t think there was any substance to it, the guy next to him was smiling, it ends in a laugh. He’s just trying to put across in his own way [what an achievement it would be]. It was tongue-in-cheek,” he added.
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