Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino says that he hopes he is still with the club in five years’ time, playing down speculation over his future.
A slow start to the season coupled with persistent links to the Manchester United job, where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is growing under increasing pressure, has led to rumours that his time in the hotset of the Champions League runners-up could be growing short.
However, the Argentine has dismissed such talk as fanciful.
“In five and a half years, every single press conference, we are talking about my future,” said Pochettino, who signed a five-year contract extension in May 2018.
“I hope because we are still talking, it means that I am going to spend five years more here, at least.
“I accept the opinions. It is normal that the game has created a lot of opinions and rumours, everyone needs to talk.
“But in the end, we only lost a game. We are going to find a way to be successful again, no doubt. We need to stay together.”
Meanwhile, he was equally dismissive on claims that his players are no longer suitably committed to the cause.
“I have no doubt the players want to always do their best to win,” he said. “They play for themselves, for their families and then for the club and the coaching staff. I don't doubt their commitment.”
He backed his team to bounce back from a 7-2 drubbing at the hands of Bayern Munich in midweek, and a start to the season that has seen them win only three of their opening 10 matches in all competitions.
“The Bayern game was really strange,” he said.
“After the first half nobody expected that result. Sometimes this happens in football and you just need to accept every single shot from Bayern Munich goes in the goal.
“What can you do? Nothing. We must stay together. The result is tough but the most important thing is to stay calm and believe in our potential.
“We need to bounce back from this defeat but it is only three points that we lost. We'll keep working.
“In life this type of thing happens but we need to accept that it can happen. It is a tough moment but altogether we are going to be find a way to bounce back and win games.”