Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino does not think the rumours surrounding his position will stop in the wake of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s appointment as Manchester United’s manager.
Pochettino was the early favourite for the Old Trafford position following Jose Mourinho’s sacking in December and United were expected to make a move for him in the summer.
But Solskjaer’s performance as caretaker manager has changed all that, with the Norwegian being appointed on a permanent basis on Thursday, ending the links to Pochettino.Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has congratulated Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on getting the full-time Manchester United job (Mike Egerton, PA)
Another job that the Argentinian has been linked to, Real Madrid, was also filled recently following the return of Zinedine Zidane.
But Pochettino, who takes his side to Liverpool on Sunday, expects the rumour mill to pick up again soon.
“I never talked about rumours,” he said. “But of course I need to congratulate him (Solskjaer) and wish him all the best now he is officially the new manager of Manchester United.
“I don’t talk about rumours and in this period there will be a lot more. It always happens.
“This season it is going to happen, last season, the season before. We assume all the rumours, it’s very natural.”
Solskjaer’s appointment should at least bring some stability to the club, not that Pochettino thinks the rumours have affected things.
He added: “The most important thing is that maybe it can be a big issue for normal people, who do not have the ability to be in this business, the people on the street think it will affect the focus of the player, manager or staff, but for us it is normal.
“We are focused, it doesn’t mean we will win all the games. It is our job, we need to live with this type of situation and we deal with that.”
Spurs are less than a week away from finally moving into their new home as they open their 62,062-seater stadium against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
The first-team squad trained there for the first time on Thursday and Pochettino says that playing at the “best stadium in the world” will provide a boost to the club going forward.
However, he is unsure whether it will help entice new players or get existing players to sign on at the club.
“I feel we are all professional but not too many people are romantic. We are still so romantic,” he said.
“You must convince people to stay or sign for your club, a good point is going to be the new stadium and everything, but in the end there are a lot of people around that care more about the business rather than the capability to be in a very good place working.
“It’s always the balance. Of course it makes Tottenham more attractive today.
“But I don’t know. I can’t guess because society is changing, business in football is changing.”
Toby Alderweireld is one of those players who has stalled on a new contract and he is expected to leave the club in the summer, even though he said the new arena was “far beyond my expectations”.There is speculation about Toby Alderweireld’s future at Spurs (Adam Davy, PA)
Negotiations broke down with the Belgium defender, who can leave for £25million in the summer after the club triggered a one-year extension last year and he has been linked with Juventus this week.
“He’s in our plans, of course and then, here in Tottenham the circumstances about what you want, your agent, your dad, your family, your club, your manager, your chairman,” Pochettino said.
“It is about many things together in the same place take the best decision for everyone. But it’s not only a decision from one side, it is not always.
“There are a lot of components that make the best decision for the club and in this case the player.
England midfielders Harry Winks (groin) and Eric Dier (hip) will miss out at Anfield on Sunday, with Serge Aurier also injured.
– Press Association
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Sourse: breakingnews.ie
