Mauricio Pochettino has defended the size of his chairman’s pay packet, saying Daniel Levy’s earnings of more than £6m last year were “deserved”.
Levy’s remuneration, a combination of salary and performance bonuses, was revealed this week when Tottenham released their annual accounts. He was paid more than any Spurs player last year but Pochettino said the sum was “not a problem” for anyone at the club and a reflection of the “fantastic job” the chairman had done.
“I think if [the sum] is true, well done,” Pochettino said before his team’s game at Stoke City on Saturday. “My feeling is he deserves it because he is working so hard for the club. He’s doing a fantastic job for 16, 17 years.”
Spurs are believed to be struggling to agree contracts with Toby Alderweireld and Mousa Dembélé. But when asked whether Levy’s level of pay might provoke envy elsewhere at the club, Pochettino said: “I think it’s not an issue. It’s not a problem for the players or for us. I think it is a question that maybe we talk too much about.
“I am happy with my salary. I’m not comparing my salary with any others. If I am happy I sign my contract and then I cannot complain because no one puts a gun against my head. OK, we are doing a fantastic job but when we sign a contract it was to deliver a fantastic job.”
Spurs face relegation-threatened Stoke with Harry Kane in contention to start after injury. “This week he was good, working hard,” Pochettino said of his 35-goal striker. “We need to see him in one more training session but he’s doing very good. You know him, he’s determined to help the team achieve all they want. Of course, he’s hungry to score.
“In the last few games Stoke have had very consistent performances. Arsenal won [3-0] in the end last week but in the first half Stoke played so well. We are aware how they will play, we need to match them with determination and aggression.”
