Pochettino on taking Chelsea to Tottenham plus injury latest
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00:00 Hello Ruchio, thanks for your time.
00:02 You're welcome.
00:03 Will Rhys James play the full 90 on Monday?
00:06 I don't know. We'll see. We'll see first of all if he's available and then if my decision
00:14 is to play with him or not.
00:16 He came through the 60 in the midweek OK?
00:19 Sorry?
00:20 He came through the game in the midweek OK?
00:22 Yes, I think it was good for him to start the game and to feel again after a few months
00:28 and for the team because he's our captain and he's a very important player.
00:31 Now we need to ask him if he's ready or not to start on Monday.
00:36 Not sure what else to talk to you about today. Oh yeah, Spurs. Going back to Tottenham, how
00:42 special is that?
00:43 Yeah, really special because I think coming back after four years in a place that we have
00:50 amazing memories and we create amazing memories together and I think it's special. I cannot
00:56 lie. I'm not going to lie.
00:58 Because you never had the chance to say a proper goodbye did you?
01:03 Yeah, that is true because in the moment that we left the club I think it was also a difficult
01:10 situation, difficult moment but now it's the opportunity to come back and for sure to see
01:19 too many people that are still working there and a good chance for us and it's an exciting
01:25 moment. It's going to be an exciting moment.
01:27 If you'd been going back there with everything that you achieved, taking them to the level
01:31 that you took them, if you'd been going back there as PSG manager or Manchester United
01:36 manager it would have been a 100% massive warm welcome wouldn't it? Do you think it
01:40 will be the case because of your arrival, because you're now at Chelsea?
01:44 I'm not going to say nasty at the moment because until Monday we cannot guess what
01:51 is going to happen there. The most important thing is people know and we cannot forget
01:58 all that we lived together. Amazing memories there and then I'm going to respect the people,
02:05 how they're going to express but it's not going to change my emotion, my view, my feelings
02:11 about a club that I think we spent an unbelievable journey.
02:17 You were the fans favourite to return in the summer to go there for a second spell as manager.
02:24 Was that ever on the cards? Ever approached?
02:27 No. No and I think after we finished our relationship with Paris Saint-Germain I think we wanted
02:36 to be one year outside of football away and then arrive the offer and the contact with
02:45 Chelsea and we decided to move here.
02:47 And what would you say to Daniel Levy?
02:53 For me I think one of the most important person for me because he gave me the possibility
03:02 and to my coaching staff the possibility to be in Tottenham and after to build a journey,
03:10 an amazing journey. It's not only professional relationship, it was also a friendly relationship.
03:18 Too many memories together that you know I spent nearly six years together I think it
03:24 was an amazing journey but only to say thank you because the opportunity to be there working
03:31 and experience great things like to build a new stadium. We were before talking a little
03:41 bit about in one season we were playing in the old Wagner Lane with a corner remember
03:46 that was out. We built a new stadium playing in Wembley and playing on Milton King. Three
03:53 stadiums in the same year. I think that was amazing to be part you know small, very small
04:00 part of an amazing project and only I can say thank you to Daniel.
04:07 Becky PLP
04:09 Hi Rexford. What would it mean to you to go back to Spurs and get a win with Chelsea?
04:20 Look always I, if you remember me I say okay clubs that maybe I will never manage was Arsenal
04:27 you know because I consider that it was the worst enemy. We took them and then Barcelona
04:35 because Espanyol and Rosario Central because New England Subway. And I think yeah now it's
04:41 strange to come back because you know always is the feeling after four years and it's going
04:48 to be for me it's going to be a happy day. But you know that is life. That is life and
04:59 we need to move on. You know we are professional about football but at the same time we are
05:05 human and we are person that we feel and normally. Now I was talking with Adrian we were talking
05:12 about in the four months that we are working together you know start to create some links
05:18 and maybe we spend five, six years together if after I move we will be sad why we are
05:24 going to forget our relationship. We were so sometimes we live up and down good and
05:30 bad and also good but you know we cannot forget that is our how we build our history.
05:36 Do you think Spurs are genuine title contenders this season?
05:39 I think so and I think they are doing a fantastic job. I think Ancel and all the coaches and
05:45 staff that I know very well they are doing a fantastic job and then of course very good
05:50 players, very good team and of course you can feel they can be a contender for the,
05:58 of course it's early in the season but of course they are contenders.
06:05 And finally maybe for the first time in a while Chelsea fans will go into this game
06:10 perhaps thinking they are the underdogs with the moment that Spurs are in. What message
06:15 would you say to those Chelsea fans before this game?
06:18 That we are in a different project you know in the history Chelsea all the history in
06:24 Chelsea is about to win and win big things and when I told my team a few months ago that
06:31 maybe Chelsea and now with of course Manchester United and Liverpool the bigger club on England
06:38 but I think Chelsea in the last 15 years you know won too many titles you know a lot of
06:44 titles but yes now we are in a different project in a different you know situation that we
06:51 are building something for the future and of course maybe struggle a little bit from
06:56 the beginning because in this detail that we are not managing well that is why we lose
07:02 too many points maybe we deserve more but we because of our performance but we are still
07:08 because we are so young you know like a team that we are not managing this situation that
07:13 is our responsibility and we are in a different situation but I think no doubt that in the
07:20 future Chelsea will be in the same position that they deserve to be because of the history.
07:26 Thank you.
07:27 You are welcome.
07:28 Andy BBC.
07:29 Mauricio obviously Tottenham are flying at the moment do you plan to try and negate them
07:36 or do you concentrate on what you are going to be able to do to them?
07:40 No I think like always I think we need to be you know pay attention in our opponent
07:45 like happened last game in Blackpool or Brentford I think you cannot underestimate the opponent
07:54 of course always in our mentality in our philosophy is to see in which area we need to improve
08:01 but always paying attention in the opponent of course Tottenham are doing fantastic amazing
08:06 wrestle and performance and is going to be a really really tough opponent.
08:10 How do you feel about stopping Sonny your old forward?
08:17 No I am not going to be you know I am not going to play central back eh?
08:23 My central back need to stop him.
08:26 No of course we know I think we know him and he is a fantastic player one of the best players
08:33 in Premier League and hope that it is not good night for him it is not going to be a
08:38 good night for him one day.
08:40 At Tottenham you built a squad where you had a really good English core young players are
08:47 you hopeful that you can do something similar here at Chelsea you have already got a good
08:52 footballer?
08:53 Yes no yes I agree because we are in England and that is about not forget maybe you know
08:58 today football is very you know global but it is important to keep the culture and the
09:08 idiosyncrasy of the country you know and for me it is very important the English player
09:14 and it is important to keep the identity of course I love players from everywhere because
09:21 you know if he is good are good better but I think we need to understand that we are
09:26 in England in a country that we need to respect the culture of here.
09:33 Moose to the floor.
09:35 Hi Moose you well?
09:36 Yes very well.
09:37 Was this the first fixture you looked out for when you came back to Chelsea and the
09:42 fixtures came out back in June?
09:44 I don't know if the first but yes special yes but I always start to see the schedule
09:53 but I cannot say that was the first but I think it was special in the moment that we
09:59 knew that we are going to play Monday yes of course.
10:03 And you mentioned the word relationship a few times is this a little bit like going back
10:09 to see an ex-girlfriend going back to Spurs?
10:13 Go to see?
10:14 An ex-girlfriend.
10:15 Oh my goodness.
10:18 It is difficult because I think we are nearly 32 years with my wife and I don't know if
10:30 I remember I don't know even if I had you know girlfriend before my wife that is why
10:39 it is difficult to answer that question because I don't know how you can feel.
10:45 Do you see some similarities in the job that Ange Poster Cogdor is doing at Spurs to what
10:50 you did i.e. taking them over when things weren't great building them up you took them
10:55 to almost winning the league and almost winning the Champions League?
10:58 No I don't know really well him but I think I am so happy for him and so happy for the
11:02 club that they are doing really well after four years you know I think that is like you
11:08 say we cannot forget all that happened there when we were there and it is normal that we
11:18 are very positive people but in the same time we are very grateful people and when people
11:23 are doing well and the club that you were there like happened when I was in Sao Juan
11:28 or in Espanyol we keep these links and always you are happy when the club in that case they
11:37 are doing well.
11:38 Finally you will see a lot of friends on Monday you have already said that you will come up
11:42 against a lot of ex-players that you had like Sonny how relieved are you that one man is
11:47 going to be missing the party Harry Kane?
11:51 Yes that is going to be really really weird because in too many years you know watching
12:00 or being Tottenham and then watching Tottenham with Harry Kane is not going to be there for
12:04 sure for sure the people missing him and he is you know a big part of the history of Tottenham
12:13 and of course it is going to be weird not to see him on Monday.
12:19 Good luck.
12:20 You are welcome.
12:21 Two more in this section and then we are going to move on Simon Johnson and then Martin to finish.
12:25 Just a quick one, Amanda Broglie obviously got this league complaint how serious is it
12:30 and how much longer will it be out for?
12:33 I think good because today we were talking and maybe we will be available to be on the
12:39 bench for Monday he is training today and before in the last few days doing well hope that
12:46 can be involved on the game but still it is not confirmed.
12:50 Last one in this section Martin.
12:52 Hi Mauricio.
12:53 Hi.
12:54 Two quick questions one have you ever been back to watch a game at Tottenham I know you
12:59 haven't managed there since you left have you ever been back to the stadium?
13:03 No.
13:04 I was sometimes yes I was thinking to dress in different way you know when was Covid to
13:13 put some you know mask but I think it was too risky.
13:19 But I was thinking good question.
13:23 The other question is about the coaching really and obviously you are building a whole new
13:28 set up here and the problems have been scoring goals you have had lots of possession in the
13:32 games.
13:33 Yes.
13:34 How much time on the training ground can you devote to working on the attacking side of
13:38 the team?
13:39 Yeah you can.
13:40 Not set pieces but.
13:41 I agree, I agree, I agree.
13:42 You can work, you can work every day and you can spend a lot of time but and I think that
13:48 you can work but I think improving or no improving is about your confidence and your feelings
13:54 and sometimes players need time to recover their trust and their feelings not because
14:00 you practice more because you need to set to have you know the right attitude and to
14:10 be on the right you know settle yourself good feelings the will to do.
14:28 When you are blocked you can practice and practice and you know it is the same but if
14:35 you before to practice you are in your mind is in the right place you can improve and
14:42 the moment we are fighting with this in between to recover the trust you know in our offensive
14:47 player if you are talking about maybe the striker I don't know maybe some name but the
14:51 most important is you know is to get a good balance because now I think is for many circumstances
14:58 we are not in is not all that we are touching gold to the net you know to touch the net
15:06 but I think we are in a good way and you can feel that we are improving progressing is
15:13 part of the process is part of the project is part of the normal when you have young
15:18 player or player that arrive you know in a club like Chelsea that the demand is so high
15:23 from the beginning the demand and the competition doesn't wait for you and you need to perform
15:27 but you need to put all the circumstance and the details like you come from maybe different
15:33 league young guy and then this batch you know put pressure on you because of the history
15:40 that is why is about the process but I am not worried I am not concerned about that
15:46 because we know what we are doing and for sure is going to arrive the moment that we
15:51 are going to perform not only to perform but if you are going to translate in result our
15:56 good performance you know.
15:58 Thank you very much.
16:00 - Cameras off please.