Tottenham Hotspur will successfully adapt to playing at Wembley next season when it becomes their temporary home despite their struggles at the national stadium in recent years, their coach Mauricio Pochettino said on Friday.
Spurs will say goodbye to their White Hart Lane home of 118 years when they play their last match against Manchester United on Sunday before a season at Wembley while they build a new stadium on the site of their existing ground.
โIโm a very sensitive person and so emotional. It will be difficult not to cry on Sunday,โ Pochettino told reporters. โYou suffer for the people that will be so emotional on Sunday.
โFor the fans it means a lot. But I think our fans are so excited to welcome the new stadium too. That doesnโt mean they are happy that itโs the end of White Hart Lane but they are excited for the future of the club.
โIt will be very emotional but at the same time it will be very exciting to welcome the new stadium.โ
Tottenham must first play at Wembley while their new 800 million pounds 61,559-seater stadium is built and their recent record there makes worrying reading.
Since Wembley reopened in 2007, Spurs have won twice in 10 visits and have lost two League Cup finals, three FA Cup semis and two of this seasonโs three Champions League group games.
Pochettino, though, is confident that his team will grow into their new surroundings.
โWe will make Wembley our home and we will start to feel very comfortable there,โ he said. โItโs about the adaptation.
โWhen you feel that your home is White Hart Lane itโs so difficult to change your mind and be ready for Wembley but next season thereโs no excuse. Itโs Wembley or Wembley. Itโs not a doubt with some games at Wembley and some at White Hart Lane.
โIโm sure that from day one next season we will be thinking of Wembley and thatโs very different,โ added the Argentine who has transformed the team into one challenging for titles.
Asked how his young side can get even better, Pochettino said they would have to be clever in their approach.
โItโs a big challenge to play at Wembley and to try to improve again next season but we believe we can improve and thatโs a good start.โ
