Mauricio Pochettino Facing Challenging, Emotional Week with Tottenham Hotspur
Football and a whole lot more has been put into perspective in Europe during the past week. The Paris attacks and their ongoing consequences are naturally taking precedent over the comparatively trivial matter of sporting competition.
A statement of solidarity and resolve was made at Wembley on Tuesday night as a brave France team fulfilled their fixture with England. These events will not be quickly forgotten, but the fact is the many players affected by recent events now have to get back to their day jobs.
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Finding a balance between real-life concerns and footballing demands is a challenge Tottenham Hotspur head coach Mauricio Pochettino will be facing more than most in the coming days.
An intense schedule of negotiating the staggered returns of his international players with preparations for Sunday's derby against West Ham United already awaited the 43-year-old. It has now taken on an extra emotional edge given the week experienced by many of his men.
Speaking after his side's 2-0 defeat, France and Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris raised a smile at the mention of the stunning shot Dele Alli had earlier launched beyond his reach.
But while complementing his young club team-mate, it was clear the match and result was of little importance to the Spurs goalkeeper.
"To be honest my mind is more focused about other things," he told Tottenham's official website. "I'm very tired and need to rest a bit, enjoy with my family and clear a bit my mind."
The prospect of facing a strong-looking West Ham may be a welcome distraction for Lloris by Sunday. The task of quietening a vociferous travelling Hammers faithful and progressing Spurs' push up the Premier League table enough to take momentary precedence in his head.
You suspect Pochettino will understand if, in the meantime, his skipper is more preoccupied with other thoughts, though. Others may also be distracted.
On the more serious side of things there is his contingent of Belgium internationals—Toby Alderweireld, Mousa Dembele and Jan Vertonghen—who had their fixture with Spain cancelled due to safety concerns, per BBC Sport. Not a trauma akin to what Lloris experienced in the Stade de France last week, but unsettling all the same.
Far less serious, but definitely relevant so far as Pochettino getting his side ready for a big game, will be the more football-related moods of others.
"There's a fair chance any memories we take away from Wembley this evening will be made in the next few minutes rather than in the football match that follows," said ITV commentator Clive Tyldesley ahead of the moments of mourning and international unity that preceded England's game with France.
While that will be true for many, it is impossible to begrudge Alli and Eric Dier savouring what was a momentous occasion for them individually. The two Spurs midfielders both made their first England starts and the former scored a goal up there with the best seen since Wembley reopened.
Dier told his club's website he believes the teenager Alli will have no trouble keeping his feet on the ground even amid greater attention paid to him.
Pochettino and his coaching staff will be working the young internationals so hard upon their return it is unlikely they will be able to think about anything other than West Ham anyway.
The long-term effort of managing expectations around the headline-grabber Alli especially will certainly go up a gear this week, though. The 19-year-old has shown no evidence so far he is not up to living up to them, but Pochettino will be keen for the rhetoric on him not to grow to out of proportion.
On the flip side, you have Christian Eriksen. His Denmark side lost their European Championships play-off qualifier to Scandinavian rivals Sweden.
The playmaker will be comprehending a quiet summer now, something that will not be made easier by the many Spurs team-mates who will be looking forward to Euro 2016.
It should make Eriksen all the more motivated to enjoy success with the north Londoners this season. But in this week, it makes for another psychological aspect Pochettino has to contend with in striking the right tone among his squad.
Football continues as it almost always does. Even if it does not feel so important right now.
Come Sunday afternoon and the arrival of West Ham, though, that familiar all-encompassing desire for victory will be hard to deny for Pochettino and Tottenham.
It is a feeling that is never dormant for long, and all things considered, the best response to all that has gone on will be to focus on harnessing it. Even if just for 90 minutes.
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