Mauricio Pochettino has told Monday Night Football, which was broadcast on Sky Sports, that he wasn’t frustrated by Liverpool spending big while Tottenham Hotspur did not back him with huge funds.
Tottenham had actually finished ahead of Liverpool multiple times during Pochettino’s time in charge, and there was a game in 2017, where Spurs showed their superiority against the Reds.
Tottenham beat Liverpool 4-1 and they looked a class above Jurgen Klopp’s side on that date.
After that season, Liverpool ended up spending big on both Virgil van Dijk and Alisson and that ultimately helped Klopp’s side become the force they are today.
Liverpool, of course, went on to win the Premier League title, while Tottenham simply couldn’t get over the line.
And Jamie Carragher was keen to ask Pochettino his feelings about Liverpool.
He said: “I just wanted to ask you about Liverpool. There was that game where you won 4-1 against Liverpool and that’s always seen as a line in the sand that game.
“From then they signed Van Dijk and the goalkeeper, Alisson, and they went to another level.
“But Tottenham and Liverpool were very close for a few years. What that a frustration, that they bought those players that took them to another level?”
Pochettino responded: “I think it’s an easy answer, no. What’s most important is how you perceive the future of the clubs. You must understand the philosophy and the future of the club.
“You can not accept the offer from Tottenham knowing, being realistic in the project, that the priority is to build a stadium and spend maybe £1.2 billion, that is going to demand a big effort.
“Tottenham needed to build this stadium because Tottenham is a massive club with a massive fan base and I think today they build this legacy.
“[Not being able] to sign these type of players without this type of support that the club now have, where the club can be in the market with the income they can produce, I think it’s a thing that you need to accept.
“Of course there’s a temptation to act like our neighbours, but I knew very well that there were some aspects that we needed to follow.”
Pochettino’s comments show great class, as many managers may have been frustrated that they weren’t fully backed in the transfer market.
Tottenham had great success under Pochettino, but there was a feeling that he was never quite delivered all the players that he wanted, and that proved costly in the end.
Pochettino just couldn’t arrest the slide at Tottenham following a Champions League final defeat to Liverpool, and that resulted in him losing his job at the back end of last year.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
