Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has been singing the praises of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger in the build up to this weekend’s North London derby.
Always a fiery affair, there will be no holds barred when Spurs and the Gunners meet on the pitch this weekend, but the two managers have been much more reserved as they approach the big game.
Pochettino said of Wenger (via The Mirror):
Everyone who talks about him needs to show respect.
Is he under-rated? From me, no. He deserves full credit.
This weekend’s game will be the eighth time the two managers have met in a North London derby, but Pochettino certainly didn’t hold back in praising his opposite number:
In football history he’s one of the great managers, the same level as Sir Alex Ferguson. He deserves a lot of credit. He will always be a special manager.
To stay 20 years and always stay near the top is not easy. It’s a reason to admire him. To keep motivation more than three years is difficult.
Wenger took the reigns at Arsenal back in 1996 and has since guided the club to three Premier League titles, two League Cups, a remarkable seven FA Cups and a Champions League final, which they ultimately lost to Barcelona in 2006.
