Tottenham boss Pochettino tells unsettled players to fight for places
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has told his unsettled players to fight for their places.
Christian Eriksen made it clear he wanted to quit Tottenham in the summer while Victor Wanyama also saw a move collapse before deadline when Club Brugge and then Celtic tried to sign him.
Pochettino said: Always it's difficult and then I think we are all agreed that Tottenham always have more rumours than other clubs.
In one month I think it will start again with the rumours, for sure, because the situation of the squad is going to help those rumours appear. I think we talk a lot. Now it is a time to be positive.
Victor Wanyama is in my plans. Christian is in my plans. Now they are going to have the same possibility as another player to play.
Before I understood that they were in a difficult situation and of course always we try to help them, to help the club, to do their business. But I said to you, it's not easy when it's one player [who wants to leave].
Ok, but when it's a few players, who start to make it difficult to create a good dynamic, a positive dynamic but now it's to be positive. Now we need to start to win games. That is our objective. Be refocused and who is not refocused is going to be out.
You cannot doubt about the player's commitment. When you sign the contract, like Christian who signed for five or six years, you need to be committed from day one to the last day.
Not because there's only one year left on the contract, he's not not going to show the commitment. He's still playing and showing his commitment.
Difference is whether he wants to extend the contract or not. Different players have different goals. The problem is I'm going to talk now too much. Be careful.
The problem with football, the business, managers, staff, players, no-one is going to say: 'I want to leave the club.' Then if no-one wants me then you say: 'No, no, I love the club.' You shoot yourself, you kill yourself. Come on, you're like me, you know the business."