Pochettino says stadium move could have cost Tottenham trophies

Spurs failed to reach the EFL Cup final after surrendering a first-leg lead against Chelsea on Thursday

Mauricio Pochettino suggested that Tottenham’s departure from White Hart Lane has been a contributing factor to their continued wait for a trophy.

Spurs were knocked out of the EFL Cup at the semi-final stage by Chelsea on Thursday after surrendering a 1-0 first-leg lead.

That first leg was played at Wembley with the club still without a move-in date for their new stadium on the site of their old ground in N17.

And Pochettino said that “doubts” about the club’s future have created an atmosphere that has been counter productive to securing an elusive first trophy since 2008.

“We are always close to the last step [to trophies] but to achieve it is the most difficult thing,” Pochettino told the Guardian before Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Crystal Palace.

“At the moment the team needed the last push, what happened? We build and build but then White Hart Lane – gone.

“We moved to Wembley and there were all the doubts about how we are going to behave. There was the example of West Ham in their first season [at the London Stadium], and many things in this process that stopped the evolution of the team about to win.

“Remember, we were unbeaten in the Premier League at White Hart Lane in our last season there. Nobody said what it meant to move to Wembley to create another project and not only this, we were going to play only one season at Wembley and now it’s nearly two seasons and no one says nothing.”

Spurs initially struggled to recreate their fortress-like home form at Wembley after moving, and failing to pick off teams from lower down the Premier League.

It took until their fourth league game of the season – against Bournemouth – to register a first win.

Some of those jitters have been eradicated this season, but the team have lost their last two Wembley fixtures in the league, against Wolverhampton Wanderers in December and more recently against Manchester United.

“When Arsenal moved [to Emirates Stadium], people talked about massive problems,” said Pochettino. “They are still paying, but Tottenham, with no history of winning…

“Our glory, I watch the [pre-match] video about the glory, it’s with Nicholson.

“It’s black and white. I watch it nearly every week and to create again that feeling, you need time."