Spanish football expert and journalist Guillem Balague has said that while Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is not pushing for much in the public eye he is definitely doing so behind the scenes.
With the Lilywhites looking unlikely to secure any new signings in the January transfer window to make it two successive markets without any new recruits, there will be questions from the fans over whether the manager is satisfied with how things are going.
Balague, who is an in-the-know when it comes to the Argentine and was given unprecedented access to write his book Brave New World: Inside Pochettino’s Spurs, insists that while on the surface he might appear calm and ready, behind closed doors he will continue to be making demands to improve his side.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: “Is he pushing? In the press conferences absolutely not, when you hear him talking on BBC or Sky Sports, he won’t be pushing.
“Is he doing it privately? Of course he is. In fact some of the things happening at Spurs is because of his push towards a better club, there’s no doubt about that, but it gets to a point where he doesn’t owe anything to Spurs.
“That’s (fan expectation) not what I’m hearing. The fans are in awe of what’s happening – not of him, of what’s happening. That they are completely in communion with the team – they seem to be happy because they remember not so long ago where they were.”
"It gets to a point where Pochettino doesn't owe anything to Spurs. I think we've reached that point"@GuillemBalague on #THFC and fans' expectation ? pic.twitter.com/mqh4FYEbnZ
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) January 31, 2019
Opinion
There is no doubting that Pochettino is an ambitious manager and it is important for Spurs that they match his expectations when it comes to new signings and pushing the club in the right direction. There will be many questioning whether their lack of arrivals has Pochettino frustrated and while he might seem calm and confident when speaking in public Balague’s suggestion is that is not the case when the doors are closed, the cameras are off and the microphones have stopped recording. Pochettino is one of the biggest assets that Spurs have right now and it is the Argentine who has brought such incredible growth to the football club, so losing him for any reason would be a hefty blow. It is crucial the likes of Daniel Levy listen to the manager’s pleas and desires behind closed doors – otherwise his mood might not be so rosy in the public eye.