Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has jumped to the defence of Mauricio Pochettino after the Spurs boss claimed regular top-four finishes are more meaningful than domestic silverware.
Both Klopp and Pochettino are yet to clinch a trophy since taking up management in England, with the latter yet to win a single piece of silverware across his entire coaching career.
What is Pochettino’s domestic silverware stance? Five key things to know…
- Spurs were knocked out of both the EFL Cup and FA Cup in the space of four days.
- The north London club were knocked out of the semi-final of the EFL Cup after losing to Chelsea on penalties last week.
- Pochettino’s men then lost to Crystal Place in the FA Cup on Sunday before bouncing back against Watford.
- The Argentine has regularly achieved Champions League qualification but has been criticised for not winning a trophy.
- Pochettino previously claimed that top-four finishes are more important than trophies, which Klopp agrees with.
Klopp has won titles during his time in charge of Borussia Dortmund but believes the financial implications of Champions League qualification makes a top-four finish an appealing objective for Premier League teams.
“You need money for improving a football team, we cannot change that. It’s not the only way but it’s a big thing,” Klopp told a news conference on Tuesday.
“If a team is developing well and you want to keep players and develop the squad [it] will not be cheaper the year after. That’s the truth.
“I know that people probably didn’t like what Poch said, but it’s so easy from the outside looking in. From a club point of view, the best competition to win is the Premier League because then you are in the top four and you won a big thing.
“You want to win the other competitions, but that doesn’t guarantee you the money for the next year. That’s why top four is so important.
“You should ask the owners much more about what they think about that. They would probably say: ‘Yes, it’s really important.'”
“In a club like Liverpool you always have to go for everything”
During his tenure on Merseyside the German coach has reached three major finals – the Champions League, Europa League and EFL Cup – but he believes a mid-table finish would cancel out any jubilation of cup success.
Being in charge of a club of Liverpool’s stature, Klopp knows how important it is to try and win every competition his side enters.
“I know for supporters it’s different, and that they want silverware. But if one year you win silverware and next year you are eighth in the table, nobody likes that and nobody talks about the silverware from last year,” the Reds boss continued.
“I understand 100 percent what Poch [Pochettino] said. In a club like Liverpool you always have to go for everything, and I think the best thing we did that everyone can see is that we are around the decisive things again.
“For a couple of years it was not like this, now it’s positive. But in the end, it is really important that you are in the Champions League next year as well.”
The Reds are currently top of the Premier League table but missed the chance to move seven points clear of Manchester City after being held to a 1-1 draw by Leicester on Wednesday night.
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