Tottenham chief Daniel Levy insists he wants Mauricio Pochettino to stay at club for 15 years ahead of Real Madrid clash
Spurs face Los Blancos at the Bernabeu Stadium on Tuesday night with both clubs winning their opening two fixtures in the Champions League
DANIEL LEVY says he wants Mauricio Pochettino to stay at Tottenham for 15 years.
Build a dynasty. Own the new stadium. Reign with the authority of Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger. That type of thing.
As Tottenham prepare to face the 11-time European champions of Real Madrid here tonight, Levy was laying it on thick.
The only problem, as the Spurs chairman well knows, is that Real might want Pochettino sooner than that.
The impressive Argentine manager is at the heart of Levy’s long-term project - and before leading Spurs into the Bernabeu, he even suggested he would like to see his chairman produce a 15-year contract.
But it is well known at Spurs that a major slump in form at Real Madrid is Levy’s greatest dread.
Because he fears Los Blancos would then come knocking for Poch and that Real are the one team he could not say ‘no’ to.
Harry Kane was top of the agenda for the Madrid media when Pochettino appeared before them last night.
And the Argentine claimed that his hugely influential striker - recently dubbed a one-man team by Pep Guardiola - could end up becoming a one-club man like Roma legend Francesco Totti.
Yet the intriguing long-term sub-plot was whether Pochettino himself might end up at the Bernabeu some day.
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Not any time soon, of course.
Zinedine Zidane has just become the first manager to win back-to-back European Cups in the Champions League era.
But the mood can change swiftly at this most impatient of clubs.
And when a local reporter asked whether he could ever imagine bossing Real Madrid, Pochettino - well-loved as a player and manager at Barca’s local rivals Espanyol - re- iterated he could certainly never manage Real’s greatest foes.
Poch, 45, said: “I always try to be honest. I don’t like to lie.
“Sometimes I lie a bit to my wife but not to the media. It’s impossible. I could not coach Barcelona, for many reasons we should not get deep into. I hope I do stay for ten or 15 years at Tottenham.
“If the chairman wants, I would love to sign that contract.
“It’s always up to the owner or chairman to decide if you’re a manager for a short time or a long period.
“I enjoy my time at Tottenham, it’s a club with big potential, new stadium and facilities which will be the best in Europe.
And at the same time we want to be a competitive team and win a trophy.
“But I am happy to hear Daniel is being so kind to me, telling everyone what to expect.”
When asked about his recent spat with Guardiola over the Manchester City boss’ Kane comments, Pochettino was happy to recap the row for the locals, in a city where Pep is considered the bogeyman.
The Tottenham boss added: “We have been the victims. We don’t have to twist things.”
Pochettino never tasted anything other than defeat against Real in his six attempts with Espanyol.
But there is a feeling that Spurs are now ready to offer Real a genuine contest having been walked all over both on the pitch in the 2011 quarter-final - and off it when the Spanish giants came knocking for Luka Modric and Gareth Bale.
Pochettino describes tonight’s clash with Zidane’s Galacticos as a ‘baptism’ for his relatively young team.
He said: “It’s special to play here at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid in the Champions League, the team with the most titles in this competition.
“For English players, it’s a dream. That’s true. When you come here you feel the reality about football and it’s a great opportunity for everyone.
Everyone is excited to play tomorrow.”
He was full of respect was Pochettino. He said all the right things.
And tonight he can lay down a marker here, as Levy well knows.
Better get that 15-year contract drawn up, Mr Chairman.
