Thursday 7 March 2019 15:48, UK
Mauricio Pochettino will be an emotional observer of Southampton's relegation battle this season, after admitting he still loves his former club and cried when he left to join Tottenham in 2014.
The Spurs boss takes his current side to St Mary's on Saturday knowing a win over the Saints could plunge them back into the bottom three in the Premier League.
Pochettino enjoyed relative success during his 17 months in charge of Southampton, leading them away from the relegation zone after taking over in January 2013, before an eighth-placed finished in his only full season at the helm.
That form attracted the attentions of Tottenham, and after resigning from his position on the south coast, the Argentine competed the switch to White Hart Lane, a move that he says was not an easy decision to make.
"A lot of people were disappointed when I left the club and they are not going to forgive, but I still love them," Pochettino said.
"In one year and a half I spent there, it was a great experience. For different circumstances that are difficult to understand, I left the club. I cried a lot when I left, my family too. It was one of the most important periods in my life."
Asked about his feelings for Southampton's current situation, Pochettino added: "My wish is Southampton finish in a very good way. (Ralph) Hasenhuttl is doing a very good job, Southampton have a very good squad.
"I hope we beat them on Saturday, but I wish all the best to them."
While Tottenham's title challenge has faded in recent weeks, Tuesday's victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League saw them progress to the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time since 2011.
They were joined in the last eight by Manchester United on Wednesday after their miraculous second-leg turnaround against Paris Saint-Germain, while Manchester City and Liverpool could well make it a clean sweep for the English sides.
"It is fantastic," said Pochettino. "Both clubs in the quarter-finals is massive for English football, and I hope Manchester City and Liverpool can be in the quarter-finals.
"I am a person that always tries to help English football, and it's going to be amazing if there are four teams in the quarter-finals."
