Mauricio Pochettino has admitted he is currently experiencing his “worst feeling” since becoming Tottenham manager.
The Argentinian joined Spurs from Southampton in the summer of 2014. After a fifth-place finish in his first season, he has led the Londoners to three successive top three finishes in the Premier League.
This season, Tottenham find themselves outside of the top four despite their best ever Premier League start, collecting 21 points from their first nine games ahead of Monday’s clash with Manchester City.
The club’s off-pitch troubles have been something of a distraction. On Friday it was announced Spurs will not move into their new stadium until 2018 following further construction delays.
And Pochettino says the club has priorities beyond just winning football matches.
“The club is not focused completely on winning titles,” he said (via Sky Sports). “Today we spend a lot of energy on many things. One is to win games, but it is not the priority to win games. The club needs to be more focused on winning titles.
“My feeling is the worst feeling. Out of nearly five years of starts to the season, is the worst. But is the best start for the club ever in the Premier League.
“This season my feeling is the worst, I don’t know why, it is so difficult to explain, because the circumstance because many things happened, disappointed because we are still waiting for the new stadium and the expectation was to be there.
“My feeling is not the best feeling. I had a better feeling in pre-season.”
Tottenham must now play four games in the space of nine days. After Manchester City, they face West Ham United in the EFL Cup, Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League and PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
It’s safe to say November will be a testing month for Pochettino and his players.
Check out our predicted XI to face Manchester City here.
