Pochettino: It's a shame future Argentina fans won't see Messi, I hope similar talents will emerge

This week Pochettino gave an exclusive interview to Sky Sports. In the first part of the interview (which we divided into three parts due to its length) he discussed his views on Folarin Balogun's failed transfer to Everton, the Argentina-England World Cup semifinal match, Maradona, and Messi.

Folarin Balogun was in the spotlight last week. He was supposed to join Everton, but the deal fell through. After the failed transfer, did you speak with him? Did he ask for your advice? Now he remains at Monaco with limited playing time. He's very important to your national team, so I imagine you'd like to see him play more.

I haven't spoken with him yet, but I plan to in the coming days to give him some space. I know this experience has been difficult for him since he wasn't able to join Everton. I need to hear what happened to him, and of course, he knows I will support him, and I hope he can improve his situation now.

Ideally, of course, you would want such a player to be playing in the Premier League, for a team like Everton.

Yes, I was pleased to see he had a chance to move to the Premier League, but Monaco is also a great team.

Did you enjoy watching the World Cup?

I watched several matches.

Surely more than that.

Yes, I watched the Argentina-England match.

How did you feel? These two teams are perhaps two of your great loves. We've already discussed how you could have coached one of them in different circumstances.

That match was full of emotional intensity, extremely difficult for both sides, and we must understand what that game meant for Argentina and England fans, and the historical rivalries over the years.

I don't enjoy these rivalries. The match was intense. I felt sorry for England, and of course I was happy for Argentina's victory, but in my view, once the final whistle sounds and the match ends, it all stays in the past.

The way England was eliminated was incredibly disappointing, a scenario we've seen too many times.

That always happens in football. The other day Thomas Tuchel and I watched the Fulham versus Crystal Palace match. Being a manager is already difficult; when you make decisions, you cannot predict the outcome. If you succeed, everyone calls you a genius; if you fail, they call you the worst manager in the world.

At the World Cup we witnessed the end of Messi's international career. You've witnessed his career. Tell me about him and compare him with another Argentine legend, Maradona. You've lived through two generations of stars. First, as an Argentine, how proud are you of Messi's achievements over the years? Do you think Messi is better than Maradona?

It's unfair to judge directly who is better, but their level of mastery is on the same plane. Perhaps Messi's consistent performance creates a different impression; Maradona was not as consistent as Messi.

It will be a huge regret that the next generation of fans will no longer see Messi in the Argentina national team. The Argentine national team will go through a difficult transition period, but Argentines have always known how to recover quickly from setbacks. I believe similar talented players will emerge in the future, and I hope for the best.

You've extended your contract with the US team for four years. Does that mean we won't see you in the Premier League for some time?

For now, yes. At the moment we are very happy to continue coaching in the United States for the next four years.

Why?

Before the World Cup they showed us enough respect. The management proactively offered us a four-year contract. I told them then: "But we need to show results," and they replied: "No, we have complete faith in you and are willing to offer this four-year contract." That made me feel completely respected, and it means a great deal.

Переведено ИИ.

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