Mauricio Pochettino welcomes Tottenham criticism as means to grow and learn

Pochettino said at his Thursday afternoon press conference that adversity and criticism was indispensable to any manager so that he or she could keep learning and keep developing

Naturally Pochettino would rather Spurs were winning, but if not, he wants to make the most of the situation (Getty)

Mauricio Pochettino has said he embraces the criticism Tottenham are subject to when they fail to performance because it helps him to learn.

The Spurs manager is currently caught in his hardest period since his first season at White Hart Lane with his team struggling in the Premier League and facing a vital game at Watford on Saturday afternoon.

But Pochettino said at his Thursday afternoon press conference that adversity and criticism was indispensable to any manager so that he or she could keep learning and keep developing.

Naturally Pochettino would rather Spurs were winning, but if not, he wants to make the most of the situation.

“Of course we are agreed that always it is better to hear the good things, the praise, the love,” he said. “But you always learn when people criticise you. Sometimes you can say it is fair, or not fair. But there is always some point. It makes you have more perspective and find different options or ways to be better, to improve.

“It is so important to get a good balance. And then you are human. You can make a mistake, you can win you can sometimes lose and you have to accept that.”

It is part of the same spirit of self-examination that saw Pochettino warn himself that he must not grow arrogant and “go to the dark side” if he allows praise to get to his head.

Spurs are struggling in the league at the moment, losing 2-1 at Leicester City on Tuesday night, and Pochettino admitted that he takes defeats personally. But he knows that he also has a job to do keep the players ready for the next game, so he cannot get too down.

Pochettino said he takes defeats personally (AFP)

“It is so difficult because we take a defeat so personally,” Pochettino explained. “When we win I feel ok, but when lose it is like I am responsible. I don’t like to share the responsibility of the defeat, but that is more personal, more how I feel.

“Sometimes it is difficult to find your space, your place to think and you need to be alone. But of course it is not about you. You need to reflect about the team, the staff, about everything.”

“You need to show the right message, the right emotion,” he added. “When you have the responsibility to create good feelings and emotion and atmosphere it is important not to show too much if you are disappointed. Always be careful because you are going to affect the team.”