Pochettino: I don´t believe it´s the end of something at Tottenham

Mauricio Pochettino is focused on building a “long-term project” at Tottenham despite being touted for the vacant manager’s role at Real Madrid.

Pochettino’s name has been linked with Los Blancos since the departure of Julen Lopetegui on Monday, the Spurs coach having reportedly interested Madrid as a replacement for Zinedine Zidane earlier in the year.

Despite those reports, Pochettino signed an extension with Spurs in May, committing his future to the club until 2023.

And he is not letting talk of Madrid affect his plans of turning Tottenham in challengers for silverware in the Premier League and Europe.

“We work with the responsibility to create a long-term project,” Pochettino told a media conference.

“Today in football it’s about the present, it’s about getting good results quickly and as soon as possible. It’s so difficult to talk about projects. 

“At the same time you need to try to anticipate the things that are going to come.

“We always work to try and win games tomorrow but if the club is not prepared with a plan for the future, in the end you are going to fail.

“I think the success here is that we always work in thinking of today but also in thinking of tomorrow, and I think that’s the most important thing. I work like I’m going to be here for all of my career.”

TEAM NEWS: @JanVertonghen (hamstring) continues rehabilitation. @ericdier (thigh) and Danny Rose (groin) are both unlikely to return before the international break. pic.twitter.com/lSdKsJwubw

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 2, 2018

He added: “I think we’re in the middle of the [journey] and I don’t believe that it’s the end of something.

“The reality is we are very close to finishing the new stadium, we’re very close to creating, in facilities, one of the best clubs in the world.

“For me it’s so exciting to be here at Tottenham, helping the club to achieve the last level. I think we’re so close to getting the last level. I want to feel the glory with Tottenham.

“But first of all we need to finish the stadium, move there, finish the facilities here, be settled, make our stadium home again and work so hard to try to be competitive.”

Spurs face Wolves at Molineux this weekend, and Pochettino knows Nuno Espirito Santo’s side will be a tough nut to crack despite only being 10 games into their Premier League return.

“We are going to face a team that are playing really well,” he said. “Of course, it will be a massive challenge for us, it will be a very competitive game. 

“It is a game we need to win and after defeat to Manchester City we need a good position in the table. We are also thinking in [terms of] performance and not just the three points.

“They [Wolves] always face big teams and are very competitive and very good. I think they have a lot of very good players and are doing very well from the beginning of the season.”

Pochettino will again be without Victor Wanyama for the trip to Wolves due to a knee injury, the midfielder joining Eric Dier (thigh), Danny Rose (groin) and Jan Vertonghen (hamstring) on the sidelines.