Soccer

Pochettino swats off speculation linking him to Chelsea job

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino insisted he did not care when quizzed on rumours Chelsea could seek to lure him to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino insisted he did not care when quizzed on rumours Chelsea could seek to lure him to Stamford Bridge this summer. Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino insisted he did not care when quizzed on rumours Chelsea could seek to lure him to Stamford Bridge this summer.

MAURICIO Pochettino has admitted he remains unfazed about being touted as Jose Mourinho’s long-term successor at Tottenham’s London rivals Chelsea.

Tottenham boss Pochettino insisted he did not care when quizzed on rumours Chelsea could seek to lure him to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Interim manager Guus Hiddink will guide Chelsea to the end of the season, when the Blues will appoint their permanent boss.

Chelsea have been tipped as having identified a nucleus of candidates to take the Stamford Bridge helm, with former Argentina defender Pochettino believed to number among them.

“No I don’t mind, we are supposed to receive the rumours and we are in a media that all is about rumours,” said Pochettino, when asked if links to the Chelsea job could cause any unrest at White Hart Lane.

“But I don’t care about that.

“It’s the same with any rumours about players, there’s a lot of names in the media now. My focus is here, to try for success at Tottenham and to work hard.

“That’s all about rumours. I always work for the present and the future. I’m very happy here. We’ve created after 18 months a very good group, with a strong basis for success in the future and I’m very happy. My job is to be focused, not to hear rumours.

“The most important thing is that I’m focused on my job.”

Tottenham travel to League One side Colchester for today’s fourth-round FA Cup tie, with Pochettino admitting he could yet start England stars Harry Kane and Dele Alli from the bench.

Austrian defender Kevin Wimmer is poised to deputise for Jan Vertonghen, missing with knee ligament trouble.

Pochettino insists Spurs have sufficient quality within their current ranks to cope with the loss of both Vertonghen, and Andros Townsend, who joined Newcastle this week.

Victory at Colchester would hand Tottenham 10 games in 35 days, but Pochettino continues to insist his squad boasts the depth to cope with such rigour.

“I think yes, I believe that we already have enough quality, and it’s true that we lost people a few times, but that’s why we have a squad of 24 to 25 players,” said Pochettino.

“With Jan’s injury it’s important that a player like Kevin Wimmer can show his quality.

“It’s important for that that you always keep all the players fit and focused. It’s a very good period now to show that we have a very strong squad.

“It’s a test for our squad that’s true, a very busy period with a lot of games.

“But we’ve come through a very busy period too and that was a big test for the squad. We’re not worried, I think we’ve shown we’ve got enough quality to compete across all the competitions.”

Pochettino refused to rule out completing a deal to bring Fulham’s Moussa Dembele to White Hart Lane, while also wishing departed winger Townsend (right) good luck in the north-east.

Colchester manager Kevin Keen insists his Sky Bet League One strugglers have the belief needed to cause an upset and dump Tottenham out of the FA Cup.

The U’s were rewarded with a plum tie against the Barclays Premier League high-flyers after beating Championship side Charlton, having entered at the first-round stage with a 6-2 win at Wealdstone.


All eyes will be on the Weston Homes Community Stadium for today’s televised encounter.

While Colchester – without a league win since October 20 and now propping up the division – have already been written off, Keen believes all the ingredients are in place for a surprise result.

“This has been a bit of a bonus week, and everyone will enjoy it, but we want to beat Tottenham to get through to the next round,” Keen said.

“It is going to be a tough task, but the boys are switched on and ready to give a performance which hopefully credits the football club.

“We will have to work very hard, play as a team and do our best as individuals.

“They might have a few talented boys who can cause us problems, but I think I have got some talented boys in our squad that can cause them some problems.’’