Mauricio Pochettino insists Tottenham are mentally strong enough to win trophies despite their lack of success in recent seasons.
Spurs’ latest setback came last weekend when they lost 2-1 to Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals, their eighth defeat in a row in the last four of the competition.
It came just a few weeks after Juventus knocked them out of the Champions League but the Tottenham boss says it has nothing to do with the players’ state of mind.
“A lot of topics you can blame in football when you lose – the tactics, the selection, the approach of the game, the mentality,” he said. “In the end when you lose, you lose. Every single opinion is right.
“I don’t believe it’s about mentality. We always talk about competing. The mentality is to have the belief and the feeling that you can beat any team.
“Tottenham have shown in the last few seasons it can compete and beat any team – Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and of course in the Premier League.
Qualification for next season’s Champions League remains in Tottenham’s hands although Chelsea, in fifth, closed the gap to just two points with a 1-0 win at Swansea.
Spurs have four games left – one more than Chelsea – starting with Watford’s visit to Wembley on Monday night, live on Sky Sports.
Pochettino added: “It’s important to finish well and it will be a massive success for the club to finish in the top four and play in the Champions League again in our new stadium.
“After playing all season away from home that would be amazing.”
Tottenham have a favourable run-in with a trip to West Brom after the Watford game followed by home games against Newcastle and Leicester.
“I promise you I am only focused on my team and providing them with good tools to compete on Monday,” Pochettino went on.
“We need to forget what happened [against Manchester United]. We need to win. It’s in our hands to be in the top four and play Champions League. It’s only up to us to achieve this.”
(Sky Sports)
