Pochettino has come under plenty of criticism for his comments of late, even from Spurs fans.
Plenty of debate has been had over Mauricio Pochettino’s recent comments about finishing in the top four, or winning a trophy. Now, ex-Tottenham Hotspur striker Garth Crooks has waded in, in his BBC Sport column.
Sky Sports quoted Pochettino as saying: “We’re going to have the debate whether a trophy will take the club to the next level. I don’t agree – it only builds your ego. The most important thing is to always be in the top four.
In his Team of the Week column, Crooks blasted Pochettino. The ex-Spurs man is stunned at Pochettino’s comments, describing a trophy triumph as “magical”.
“You can imagine my dismay when Pochettino suggested that winning cups, as opposed to league titles, is good merely for polishing one’s ego,” Crooks said. “A little rich, especially from someone who has never won one, don’t you think?
“I have never won a league title but I have won three cups. Does it inflate my ego? Of course it does but that wasn’t the purpose. The determining factor was winning, which defines a team and in some cases even immortalises them.
“What Pochettino fails to understand is that it is not just about players or managers but the club and the fans. Of course, he hasn’t won one so he wouldn’t know any of this but I have – and did so with the fans who now chant his name every week. And its magical.”
Spurs were knocked out of the Carabao Cup semi-final on penalties by Chelsea, before Pochettino named a much-weakened side that lost to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup just days later.
However, Spurs remain in the hunt for the Premier League title according to many, two points behind Manchester City and four off Liverpool. The latter play West Ham on Monday night.
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