Pochettino claims ageing Spurs players will not want to wait for trophies

Tottenham Hotspur are in the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in their history, albeit with a 1-0 deficit on their hands.

Whether Spurs overturn the result into a win and achieve a Champions League final or not, they have certainly impressed on the European stage this season, despite not spending a penny on transfers in around 15 months.

However, the fans and players will be dying to turn good performances into big trophies as soon as possible, with the club having gone over a decade without silverware.

Pochettino’s group of core stars are now ageing, and will be determined to win something before they depart the club.

Mousa Dembele has already left for pastures new, and the likes of Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen, and Toby Alderweireld all have just one year left on their contracts following this season.

Pochettino has admitted that although he is a young manager and can wait for honours, it is different for the players.

He said (BBC – The Premier League Show): “I am in football because I love the sport, it’s my passion, but I want to win. We need trophies and we need to fight for big things, to have the opportunity to win the Champions League and Premier League.”

“Normally the players are never happy – you know, we never were happy. But the most important thing is that we are a family, we have this spirit. I feel so proud. They know me very well, they know that they can trust.

“That is why I said our players are heroes. Because they understand the circumstances of the club.

“The reality is that it’s difficult to compete with another club that are only focusing on improving the squad. Maybe I can wait [for a trophy] because, in my career, I am still young, but for the players it’s different.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

Pochettino raises a good point, as a number of core Spurs players who started the club on this upward journey may not be around to claim the eventual rewards. The likes of Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Lloris, Rose, and more are all inching towards the twilight years of their careers. Tottenham must invest as much as they can in the next year to retain their current stars and make a push for titles.

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