MAURICIO Pochettino said it was “one of the best decisions to my life” to move to England – as he is set for his 400th game in charge in the country against his former club Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday.
Pochettino left Espanyol for Southampton in 2013 before taking over at Spurs in 2014. He spent five years in north London before returning to the capital for the Blues manager’s job after a season in charge of Paris Saint-Germain.
“I think it is a dream come true,” Pochettino said when asked about the milestone in his pre-match press conference ahead of the derby at Stamford Bridge. “For me, to think and to come here to England and become a coach here, it was impossible thinking but after the decision of my wife and my friend here Jesus [Perez], they convinced me to join Southampton.
“That was one of the best decisions in my life to come here to England and enjoy this great football country. Of course, I feel really comfortable. It is like home.
“Every single period was an amazing challenge for us. To arrive to Southampton when nobody knows us, to try and convince the players and translate our football. In England, before Pep [Guardiola] or [Jurgen] Klopp arrived, it was only Brendan [Rodgers] who was trying to set a different [style of] football.
“It was an amazing challenge. We met an unbelievable club, unbelievable chairman, unbelievable people, staff, players. It was an amazing journey in Southampton and then Tottenham was amazing also because the challenge was to create a team that can compete and challenge the big sides.
“After one year and a half, we were challenging. For five and nearly six years, we were challenging all of the big teams. We were in the final of the Champions League, building a new stadium, a new training ground. To be part of this journey was an amazing time.
“Now, to be here with Chelsea, also an amazing club, with an amazing history in a process to try and develop and be an exciting project that knowing we need time – maybe it is the most challenging period now.”
Pochettino, who turned 52 in March, was asked if he thought he had another 400 games in him.
He replied: “I think we are still young, no? I think we are trying now to enjoy every single day and provide our knowledge and experience to the club. Of course, it’s always our obsession, our passion, the adrenaline we want to feel in our body every time we go training or compete in a game.
“It is difficult to say I am going to stop being a coach or we are going to stop doing what we love. I hope yes we can be doing it for another 400 games.
“Every single game is a challenge for us and now we have a big challenge against Tottenham, a great team like Tottenham. I think it will be good, a nice game to play because it is an opportunity for some kids to be on the bench and have the possibility maybe to play.
“When this opportunity appears, it is to be conscious, step up and for the kids to say, ‘I am here and I want to be there, to play for the first team of Chelsea’. I think it is a great opportunity and for sure it is going to be a great game.”
One of Pochettino’s most chaotic games in England was as Spurs manager when the visitors to Stamford Bridge had to win to stay in the title race. Spurs went 2-0 up but Chelsea came back to draw 2-2 and hand the title to Leicester City.
Spurs were shown nine yellow cards, the most in Premier League history, in an incident-packed game that became known as the ‘Battle of the Bridge’.
“I remember it really well. My memory is good,” Pochettino said. “It was a really tough game, a difficult night. We needed to win and Chelsea were an experienced team. I remember they had [Cesc] Fabregas, [Eden] Hazard – what a team, no?
“They were not doing a fantastic season but in that one game they competed well because they knew how to compete. It was a battle because we wanted to win and we were very competitive. Sometimes we crossed the line and it was a really difficult moment but it shows you how competitive we were with Tottenham and that is why a few years after we were in the final of the Champions League because we were a very competitive team.”
Meanwhile, Pochettino confirmed that Thiago Silva and Axel Disasi will miss the game through injury.
Silva, 39, announced earlier this week he will leave the club after four seasons in the summer.
“He is an amazing guy, an amazing professional,” Pochettino said. “I am not going to discover this type of player [again], playing until almost 40-years-old, an amazing career.
“The player, the fans, the club is going to miss him but he is happy, he is so proud for his career here at Chelsea and different clubs. I wish him the best because he deserves this.”
