Mauricio Pochettino explains why Tottenham will be under more pressure to win a trophy next season

Tottenham finished first in their Champions League group with ease but that has come at the cost of some consistency in the Premier League

Mauricio Pochettino believes Tottenham will be under more pressure to finally win a trophy next season (Getty)

Mauricio Pochettino has admitted his Tottenham Hotspur team will be under more pressure to finally win a trophy when they move to the new White Hart Lane next season, as that will represent the final step in the project.

The Argentine had been asked about whether it would be a setback to miss out on top four this season or whether it is frustrating that Manchester City are so far ahead at the top of the table, but insisted he is currently content because their plans are “on time” and they are making progress. He did admit that “when we arrive to the new stadium, everything will be different”.

Tottenham finished first in their Champions League group with ease, despite having to play at Wembley and against giants like Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, but that has come at the cost of some consistency in the Premier League. The feeling now is they are playing for top four, just to try and get back into the elite continental competition.

“I think, for me, it's a step up doing what we did in the Champions League,” Pochettino said. “To get more experience in a team that has never before won trophies or was so far away from competing in the top four. The last two seasons we were there, fighting for the Premier League and now I think last night [drawing Juventus in the last 16] was so important to feel from the fans how they are so proud about the team. They had the chance to face Real Madrid, the best team in the world, with the hope that we can beat them.

"That is a great experience that we need to be aware what happens when you compete at a high level with the pressure. That it's not only to compete, but after two seasons we add, 'to compete is ok but no we must win, we must win a trophy.' That is completely different. After two seasons, now it's, 'compete plus win trophies'. I think it's step by step to build. In our project it's [about] time to build, add more quality, be clever in the transfer market, don't make mistakes.

"Our project is step by step, slowly slowly but consistent in all this time but try one day... And of course one day when we arrive to new stadium, everything will be different. And in that moment [we must] to try to win.”

He insisted it was no shame that Spurs are at best fighting for second place this season, with City 18 points ahead.


 Pochettino doesn't believe Tottenham can catch City at the top of the Premier League 
 (Getty)

“Of course, but we're not frustrated. we're not disappointed in our project. I think City is doing so well but I think in our project we're in a good process, we're on time. Of course City was behind us in the last two seasons and this season they were very consistent in signing, signing, signing, invest, invest, invest and this season they are above us.

"But in the last two seasons we were always above. But we're not going to change because they improved a lot. We improved and we're consistent in this process. For us, it's so important to finish the new stadium, the facilities here and that will be a massive boost for the team, for everyone. To try now after to achieve everything we want. In the end, everyone wants to win trophies in every competition.

“But in the last two seasons, we're playing at half a White Hart Lane without a corner, here we're building the training ground, the hotel - everything. Tottenham is not a final product. The expectation this season was massive and when we started to play and show great quality in the Champions League, we felt disappointed in the last few months because City is so good. But if we feel disappointed about that, think about how Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool feel today.

“Of course, I feel disappointed because the gap is massive but in the end it's only one [team] that can win. Now the gap is big, we need to fight and be consistent and win games and see what happens. In football all can change - you're so good and then you start to go down and you cannot stop! We need to be there, to look at ourselves and be consistent. If they are so good and finish with a massive gap and win the league, we congratulate them. But at the moment, they are doing well but we need to believe that we can fight with different teams.”