This archive report was first published on 24 August 2019.
Published on August 24, 2019, by AFP
Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear that he will not pick players out of charity if they do not meet his standards.
He has frozen out Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen for the opening two games of the Premier League season, while Kenya midfielder Victor Wanyama is reportedly set to be sold.
"I am only going to decide to try and provide the best players that are in my head to play," Pochettino said.
"If I don't play someone it is because I believe there is another in my opinion that is better. This is very clear. It is all about performance. It is all about today. Football is about today and tomorrow not yesterday," he added.
He also stated that the team is not a charity and that it is about performance and options.
"We are in a team. We are not a charity first of all. It is about performance and we are the coaching staff and we have a lot of options to play different players," Pochettino said.
Wanyama was a key player at the start of Pochettino's reign in north London but looks set to leave by the time the European transfer window shuts on September 2.
