Mauricio Pochettino has claimed Tottenham are “a thousand miles ahead” of where they were positioned when he first took charge of the club.
The Argentine reflected on how Spurs have changed during his two-and-a–half years at the helm as they prepare for Saturday’s Premier League showdown against Manchester City.
The London club are riding on the crest of a wave after six consecutive league wins catapulted them to second in the table and they arrive at Etihad Stadium ahead of the team who began the campaign as most pundits’ favourites for the title.
Pochettino marked four years in English football- when he first arrived as Southampton manager – on Wednesday and assessed the transformation in fortunes of Tottenham.
He took over a from Tim Sherwood after the north Londoners had ended the 2013-14 season sixth in the table and 17 points behind champions City.
Pochettino has steered the club to fifth and third place finishes in his two full campaigns, as well as back into the Champions League for only the second time in their history, and they have once again emerged as genuine title challengers this season.
“When I think where we were, we are a thousand miles ahead, but in football it is about faith and working hard. That was our expectation to move the club quick,” he said, as quoted by the Telegraph.
“Sometimes it’s not possible. But it’s true everything related with Tottenham is exciting, you can see in the stadium [a new 61,000-capacity ground opens in August 2018], the team, the squad. Before I arrived here you always under-rated Tottenham. Now it looks like we’re the best team in the world. The hard part is to keep that feeling. We will try.”
Pochettino’s side head to Etihad Stadium in the unusual position of being favourites against one of the richest clubs in the world.
Pep Guardiola conceded the title after his team’s 4-0 demolition to Everton last weekend but they are only three points behind Spurs.
In other Tottenham news, a striker has signed after Spurs agreed terms.