Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has called moving to the Premier League ‘one of my best decisions in life’ as he prepares for his 400th game in English football.
Pochettino will bring up 400 games in English football when Chelsea host Tottenham in the Premier League on Thursday evening.
It is a fitting fixture to celebrate the milestone, with the Argentine having spent five-and-a-half years in charge of Spurs, in addition to spells with Southampton and Chelsea.
On reaching 400 games in England, Pochettino said at his pre-match press conference: “Amazing, a dream come true.
“It was always my thought that it would be impossible to come here and manage in the Premier League, but my wife and friend convinced me to come over to Southampton and it was hard but was one of my best decisions in life to come here to one of the best footballing countries in the world.
“I feel comfortable, it is like home.”
Asked what has been his biggest task as a manager in the Premier League, Pochettino said each of his clubs has posed a new challenge.
“Every single period was an amazing challenge for us. To arrive at Southampton when no-one knows us, to convince players and translate my ideas. It was before Pep [Guardiola] and [Jurgen] Klopp, it was only Brendan [Rogers] that was trying to set different football.
“Tottenham was amazing also because the challenge was to create a team that could challenge and compete with top sides. We were challenging big teams for nearly six years, being in the final of the Champions League, building a new stadium and team – it was an amazing challenge and time.
“Now, arriving at Chelsea, it is an amazing club with an amazing history. It is in the process of building an exciting project that needs time and that is maybe the most challenging period.”
