SM
Sports Mole words bigger AMP 2
Man Utd vs. Rangers: 5 hrs 26 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Mauricio Pochettino backs call to abandon games if players are racially abused

:Headline: Mauricio Pochettino backs call to abandon games if players are racially abused: ID:354741: from db_amp
Pochettino joins a number of other Premier League managers in claiming he would lead his players off the pitch if he could hear racist taunts.
Pochettino backs call to abandon games if players are racially abused

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino would have no hesitation in taking his players off the pitch if they suffered racist abuse, insisting "nothing is more important than to stop that".

Spurs star Danny Rose was among those abused by Montenegro fans during England's 5-1 Euro 2020 qualifying win on Monday, with the defender subjected to monkey chants.

The Football Association described the incidents in Podgorica, where Callum Hudson-Odoi and Raheem Sterling were also targeted, as "abhorrent".

Governing body UEFA subsequently opened disciplinary proceedings against Montenegro, including a charge of racist behaviour.

Danny Rose was subject to racist abuse by Montenegro fans (Nick Potts/PA)

Reaction has been strong from within the game, with Pochettino joining a growing list of managers who say they would stop proceedings if he witnessed abuse.

"If I feel the abuse and I hear it, then out. Stop. Stop," Pochettino confirmed. "There is nothing more important than to stop that.

"A game you can win or you can lose. You can win the three points or lose the three points. I don't know. But we cannot be hypocrites with that.

"There is nothing more important in this life to protect the values and principles and no one can abuse. No one deserves to be abused.

"When this type of situation happens, football is not important, you know. If that happens and I am conscious about that, I am the first to say, 'Stop, we are not going to play. Come on inside. Go off.'

"But maybe with that, you are more conscious and sensitive and you are going to be involved and try to stop. I think every single situation that can help that, which is in our hands, we need to be there."

Pochettino takes his side to Anfield on Sunday for a vital game in their quest to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Liverpool were in the enviable position of being able to spend £70million on an area they felt needed improving when Virgil Van Dijk signed last January – something Pochettino would love to be able to do.

Some people baulked at the fee required for the Dutchman, but the Spurs boss says Liverpool have been proved right.

"He is a very good player," he said. "He signed 14 months ago and it made a good point.

Virgil Van Dijk has helped Liverpool challenge for the Premier League title this season (Richard Sellers/PA)

"When a team like Liverpool need to improve their team in a certain area, people said it was crazy to pay £70m for a centre-back.

"But they were right. They picked Van Dijk, because at that moment they believed he was the best centre-back in England who could make them better, and they were right.

"The people who believed other things have now been shown that Liverpool were right.

"But if you are going to sign the player who is going to improve your team, then it is not a lot of money. Because to win a Champions League or a Premier League, it is cheaper to spend this type of money."

amp_article__354741 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-03-30 01:34:44:
html db last update - 2019-03-30 01:34:44 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Mauricio Pochettino

Click here for more stories about Tottenham Hotspur

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool21155150203050
2Arsenal22128243212244
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest22135433221144
4Chelsea22117444271740
5Manchester CityMan City22115644291538
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle22115638261238
7Bournemouth22107536261037
8Aston Villa2210663334-136
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2281043530534
10Fulham228953430433
11Brentford2284104039128
12Crystal Palace226972528-327
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd2275102732-526
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham2275102743-1626
15Tottenham HotspurSpurs22731245351024
16Everton214891828-1020
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2244143251-1916
18Ipswich TownIpswich2237122043-2316
19Leicester CityLeicester2235142348-2514
20Southampton2213181550-356
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .