Tottenham Hotspur’s Mauricio Pochettino has been issued a two-game touchline ban.
Toby Alderweireld does not believe that Tottenham Hotspur’s players will be adversely affected by Mauricio Pochettino’s touchline ban.
The Spurs manager will watch on from the stands in Premier League games away to Southampton and Liverpool this month, as punishment for angrily confronting referee Mike Dean immediately after a 2-1 defeat at Burnley.
In addition to the two-game touchline suspension, Pochettino has also been fined £10,000 by the Football Association.
Despite being banned from the dugout, the 47-year-old will be allowed to communicate with his coaching staff on the bench, as well as give pre-match and half-time team talks.
And although Alderweireld admits that Pochettino ‘will be missed’, the Belgian centre-back says he and his team-mates can cope.
“I think we have a clear idea of how we want to play and he will show us before the game what we need to do,” he said as quoted by The Telegraph.
“I think the group is mature enough to play the way he wants to and the technical staff is big enough to cope with it, I think.
“Of course, he will be missed but I think it’s up to us to step up and deliver the performance he wants.”
The Telegraph have reported that Tottenham officials are furious with the punishment and believe that the FA is guilty of double standards.
Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp confronted referee Kevin Friend after the Reds’ 1-1 draw at West Ham last month and, despite a £45,000 fine, he was not banned from the touchline.
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo joined in his players’ on-the-pitch celebrations following a 4-3 win at Leicester earlier this season and, like Klopp, only wound up being fined for the offence.
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