Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino on emulating Arsene Wenger and why he does not 'dream' of Chelsea's money

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Dan Kilpatrick @Dan_KP7 January 2019

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, who is wanted by Manchester United and Real Madrid, has said he hopes to emulate Arsene Wenger's 22-year stay in north London – but not before asking the Frenchman if his longevity was worth it.

The comparisons between Pochettino and Wenger, who finally left Arsenal in the summer, are unavoidable as the Spurs manager attempts to keep the club in the Premier League top four and challenging for silverware during a period of austerity.

Wenger led Arsenal to 20 consecutive top-four finishes until 2015-16, even after the completion of the Emirates Stadium in 2006 left them unable to compete financially with rivals Manchester United, Man City and Chelsea.

Spurs, who have finished in the top four in the last three seasons, are saddled with debts of £637m as they continue to wait for their £1bn stadium to open but Pochettino is increasingly under pressure to win a first trophy of his career ahead of Tuesday's EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea.

"I have massive respect for Arsene Wenger," said Pochettino ahead of the game at Wembley. "Because when you talk about 22 years in charge of a club like Arsenal and all that happened in that period, you need to be so good – not only a fantastic coach but a great human being to translate the values you have. It’s amazing.

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"That is why it’s a little bit sad the way he finished in his club. But it shows how difficult it is, this business. For us it’s not a business, football is a passion, but all that Arsene Wenger gave for Arsenal, to finish in the way he finished, yes, it was a little bit, completely, unfair.

"For me, it’s an amazing recognition of his work. Only I hope, if I have one day the opportunity to talk with him, to ask if ‘was it worth it to do?’ I don’t know what he would say, I would like to ask one day."

Pressed on whether he acknowledged the similarities between Wenger's job and his own, Pochettino continued: "Yes, yes. It’s true it's only going to be my fifth year. But it’s true we work and we know the reality of all that happens inside, and sometimes we cannot expect that the people [on the outside] live the same reality or have the same knowledge about what happens inside. I hope, or I wish maybe, to be here 20 years and decide to leave or to finish my career here.

"But I don’t know because I need to ask him if I have one day the possibility if he is so happy in the way that he finished. I don’t believe. What I saw from my point of view, it was so unfair how the people treated him and talked. But we’ll see."

Just as obvious as the comparisons with Arsenal are the contrasts between Tuesday's opponents Chelsea, who remain lavishly funded by billionaire owner Roman Abramovich. Pochettino can take a significant step towards ending Spurs' decade-long trophy-drought with a win over the Blues on Tuesday and he insisted the club would win silverware soon – with or with him at the helm.

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"It’s not my dream to have this type of money [like Chelsea]," he explained. "Of course, it’s going to help you but it’s not my dream to have this money here. The only way the people think is about money. That's going to help but at the moment I am happy.

"Today, the club is doing what the club needs to do and I am so happy to be here and helping the club, and it’s so clear the project. It’s true the people are so impatient but titles are going to arrive. Tottenham are in a project now that is normal and maybe we are in advance in the football side, but I think Daniel Levy is creating a legacy that is going to be amazing for the future of the club.

"I can see in the future Tottenham winning trophies. I don’t know if it’s with us or without, in one year or in five years. But all the basis and foundation is one day to start to win titles and be like another club – so successful. But at the moment, when the project started with Daniel Levy, he was so brave and he’s right to do what he’s doing, to try to provide this football club with all the facilities that we have and the foundations that are going to help in the future to win.

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"That is fantastic. But it’s difficult for the people because the people are talking about today, today, today. But the vision of the future is that Tottenham are going to be one of the most exciting clubs in the world, not only in England. That is sometimes difficult to tell you but that is why I think Daniel Levy deserves [credit] because the vision of the future is going to be Tottenham [being] one of the most exciting clubs for sure. I don’t know if in one year, two years or five years but it’s going to be, for sure."

Asked if he could stay at Spurs for many more years, Pochettino added: "Why not? But it’s not only me. It’s about decisions from the club. Sometimes you need to split because maybe the club believe they need another type of management, not because you are good or not good. It sometimes happens. At the moment I think they are happy with me."

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