Tottenham play Real Madrid in the Audi Cup “semi-final” in Munich on Tuesday, before facing either Bayern Munich or AC Milan on Wednesday. Then it’s back to London on Thursday to prepare for Saturday lunchtime’s Premier League opener against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
If it seems like Spurs have hardly given themselves a chance to prepare for a huge league game, it’s because we haven’t. Throw into the mix the fact that Mauricio Pochettino has included just one striker – Harry Kane – and two wingers – Nacer Chadli and Erik Lamela – in the 23-man Audi Cup squad, the whole situation seems mildly farcical.
What’s more, Spurs tried to have the clash at Old Trafford pushed back to Sunday because of the Audi Cup, a proposal rejected by the Premier League (obviously), suggesting Pochettino is well aware he doesn’t have sufficient time or players to properly prepare for the season opener.
“You need to accept to come to the tournament before the end of the last season and you never know [your fixtures for the new one],” the Argentine said in Munich.
“It is not a big problem. We are ready to compete tomorrow and Wednesday and after to compete on Saturday. We tried to change the (United) game to Sunday but it was impossible for the Premier League and we said we needed to manage (things) in a different way.
“It is important for us to share the time between all of the squad because it is true we play Saturday morning but I think that we will arrive nearly at 100 per cent.”
After spending last season lamenting the lack of time on the training field in the build-up to big matches, usually caused by the Europa League, Pochettino has been forced to play not one, but two, meaningless games just days before one of the more testing away matches in the Premier League calendar.
Incidentally, Chelsea are the ONLY other Premier League club with a pre-season match still to play. Spurs have two.
I’m normally very positive about the club on this blog but the Audi Cup strikes me as a shameful example of corporate interests trumping football interests. Will Harry Kane, our only striker, be forced to play two games in as many days and then start at Old Trafford? What if he picks up a knock?
If we get turned over by United, we won’t be the last team to be beaten at Old Trafford in the coming season but it will be hard not to feel that Spurs gave themselves the worst possible chance of success, in a bid to boost the brand.
http://www.thetottenhamway.com/2015...match-at-man-united-because-of-the-audi-cup/?
If it seems like Spurs have hardly given themselves a chance to prepare for a huge league game, it’s because we haven’t. Throw into the mix the fact that Mauricio Pochettino has included just one striker – Harry Kane – and two wingers – Nacer Chadli and Erik Lamela – in the 23-man Audi Cup squad, the whole situation seems mildly farcical.
What’s more, Spurs tried to have the clash at Old Trafford pushed back to Sunday because of the Audi Cup, a proposal rejected by the Premier League (obviously), suggesting Pochettino is well aware he doesn’t have sufficient time or players to properly prepare for the season opener.
“You need to accept to come to the tournament before the end of the last season and you never know [your fixtures for the new one],” the Argentine said in Munich.
“It is not a big problem. We are ready to compete tomorrow and Wednesday and after to compete on Saturday. We tried to change the (United) game to Sunday but it was impossible for the Premier League and we said we needed to manage (things) in a different way.
“It is important for us to share the time between all of the squad because it is true we play Saturday morning but I think that we will arrive nearly at 100 per cent.”
After spending last season lamenting the lack of time on the training field in the build-up to big matches, usually caused by the Europa League, Pochettino has been forced to play not one, but two, meaningless games just days before one of the more testing away matches in the Premier League calendar.
Incidentally, Chelsea are the ONLY other Premier League club with a pre-season match still to play. Spurs have two.
I’m normally very positive about the club on this blog but the Audi Cup strikes me as a shameful example of corporate interests trumping football interests. Will Harry Kane, our only striker, be forced to play two games in as many days and then start at Old Trafford? What if he picks up a knock?
If we get turned over by United, we won’t be the last team to be beaten at Old Trafford in the coming season but it will be hard not to feel that Spurs gave themselves the worst possible chance of success, in a bid to boost the brand.
http://www.thetottenhamway.com/2015...match-at-man-united-because-of-the-audi-cup/?
. The karaoke evening was the icing on the cake after the tournament.
