Pochettino admits he still doesn’t have the love for Chelsea that he had at Tottenham after refusing to ‘kiss the badge’
MAURICIO POCHETTINO still does not have the love for Chelsea that he once had at Tottenham.
The Blues head coach takes charge of his 400th game in English football tonight — against his former club Spurs.
Poch spent five-and-a-half years at Tottenham, guiding them to the Champions League final.
But that history has caused resentment among some Stamford Bridge fans.
Pochettino said: “You cannot compare nearly six years with ten months.”
The 52-year-old refuses to “kiss the badge” just to get onside with diehard Blues supporters and work is still to be done to forge a forever friendship.
But Poch thinks it will come over time. He added: “Hopefully, yes.”
Chelsea need to beat their bitter rivals to boost the slim chances of European football next season.
Spurs face similar with the Champions League.
Pochettino returned to his old ground in November as the Blues won 4-1 at nine-man Tottenham.
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
He said: “It was special when we played there.
“Tomorrow is a different thing. It is always emotional. But it’s 90 minutes and we want to win.”
Striker Nicolas Jackson hit a hat-trick in that autumn rout.
The Senegalese striker, who joined from Villarreal last summer, said: “I was new and I didn’t know until the hat-trick how important it was for the club.
“It was a big, big derby and I was very happy. Every time I sleep it’s in my head, the hat-trick.”
Poch cooled hype over Blues ace Cole Palmer, with the 21-year-old on 20 goals in his breakthrough Prem season.
He said: “He is scoring goals and that’s fantastic. But he needs to repeat and repeat and repeat.”
Outgoing Thiago Silva and fellow centre-half Axel Disasi are both out injured.
Dave Kidd: Why I’ve voted for Cole Palmer to be Footballer of the Year despite Chelsea woes
By Dave Kidd
THE voting for the Footballer of the Year award closes on Tuesday and, unlike many, I’ve gone for Cole Palmer.
Most Football Writers’ Association members vote by starting with the likely Prem champs and work backwards. So the winner will be Phil Foden, Rodri, Declan Rice or Martin Odegaard.
There is dissent if a player from a less successful team wins, like David Ginola from mid-table Spurs in Manchester United’s ’99 Treble- winning year.
But enjoying a superb individual season in a poor team is a greater achievement.
And for Palmer — just 21 and in his first season as a regular starter — to have chalked up 23 goals and 13 assists in such a basket-case team as Chelsea, makes him this season’s outstanding player.
Read Dave Kidd’s full column here
Or click here to check out all of Dave Kidd’s articles.