Mauricio Pochettino on his current Tottenham squad: ‘Younger players fit better, than older players’

As Tottenham prepare for their final Premier League game against Newcastle United, Mauricio Pochettino is already looking ahead to the challenges of the 2016/17 campaign.

Best since 1963

While their hopes of winning the Premier League title ended earlier this month, Tottenham are still on target for their best finish in more than 50 years.

If they avoid defeat in today’s final game of the season at already-relegated Newcastle United they will be guaranteed second spot, the first time they have finished that high since 1963.

Busy

Despite their improvement, having finished fifth last season, and sixth in 2014, Mauricio Pocchetino, the Tottenham manager, is not resting on his laurels, and expects to be busy during the summer months as he looks to bolster his squad ahead of the 2016/17 season, where they will be back in Uefa Champions League action.

Good balance

“Me, our supporters, our players, our squad – we are all agreed that we need to improve. It’s a different level to play in the Champions League,” the Argentine said yesterday in his news conference.

“To play in the Champions League, the Premier League and the cups, it’s important to have a very good balance. We need to improve our squad.”

Younger players

Pochettino added that the focus would be on looking to keep the youthful feel to the squad.

“I think today at Tottenham, when you analyse the squad, you need to add not only the football side but the human profile,” he said.

“You have some limitations. But it’s true that younger players fit better, than older players.”

Very proud

Looking back at his second season in charge of Tottenham, and having agreed a new contract earlier this week, Pochettino said: “To be second in the league is very important.

“It’s important to go straight to the group stage of the Champions League because it was a target at the start of the season. We need to feel very happy and very proud.”

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