- By Matthew Ferris
Pochettino: I hope to enjoy a great game, I want to win
By Matthew Ferris
Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that he is an emotional man.
Nicknamed a ‘llorona’ (crybaby) by his mother, many things make him cry. It could be something as simple as a song on the radio, but in his press conference on Friday he said he was “sensitive.”
“I become more [emotional] with time…I am 51, I have become worse.”
The Argentine made no attempt to hide his emotions - rather he chose to embrace them as the media spoke to him about his ex-girlfriend,’ Tottenham Hotspur.
When asked whether he has begun to feel the same way for Chelsea as he did his former club, he said: “after four months I cannot lie. I hope that we arrive in the same level [place] that I was [felt]at Tottenham. I expect one day to be on the same level.”
Pochettino wants to respect his own history while still looking to build a successful future at Chelsea, and the only way to successfully achieve that is to speak honestly about his emotions.
“We need to be natural, that is the most important thing, not to be fake.”
“You don’t want to be a hypocrite and say something you do not feel or are still in the process of creating. People are clever, we cannot underestimate the fans.”
While he did not rule out not managing Tottenham again in the future, he also said: “I hope to stay here until I die.”
He reiterated that he cannot predict the future, especially in an industry which has become considerably more cut-throat in the modern era.
There has been controversy on social media surrounding Pochettino’s quotes, but in a world where many managers choose to deflect away from their true feelings, the criticism towards Pochettino seems somewhat premature.
Winning is still Pochettino’s priority. “I want to win. When I play with my kids, I want to beat them, or my dad, my brothers, and friends, I want to kill them,” he said jokingly.
“I want to win because I am competitive.”
To Pochettino, Tonight is just another game for Chelsea. He said: “it’s going to help us put three points in our side, but I don’t believe more than that.”
Referring to the 'Battle of the Bridge' and Tottenham’s Champions League run, he said: “Where are we going to hide this emotion, it’s impossible.
“Now I cannot say I forget all the things; it looks stupid if I [do this]. Be natural.”
“I hope to enjoy a great game – I want to win – that is our competitive side.”
Whatever the result, it will be an emotional night for a man who is getting more emotional with his years, but winning is still the prize he values most.
