FA Cup

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino questions safety of Rochdale pitch

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 09 February 2018

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino questions the safety of the Rochdale pitch ahead of the FA Cup fifth-round tie between the two clubs.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has suggested that the club's FA Cup tie with Rochdale should not take place at the League One side's ground.

The surface at Spotland has been criticised, with sand needing to be applied before Rochdale played Millwall on Tuesday night, and the North-West outfit are also scheduled to host Fleetwood Town this weekend.

Pochettino has claimed that it would be "a massive risk" for both teams to play on the pitch, and has called on the Football Association to make an assessment before the match, which is scheduled to take place on February 18.

The 45-year-old is quoted by BBC Sport as saying: "I think the FA needs to assess the pitch and then to take a decision if it is good for the FA Cup, good for the players, for the team and players to play on this type of pitch.

"I think it is about providing a safe place to play for the players. I think it is a big risk to play on a pitch like this, if the pictures give us an accurate state. If it is like what I saw in the pictures I don't think you can play football.

"Not because we are Tottenham - Rochdale I think too cannot play there. It is a massive risk for their players too. The FA needs to go in and take a good decision for football."

Spurs reached the last 16 of the competition with a 2-0 win over Newport County on Wednesday night, while Rochdale ran out 1-0 victors over Millwall 24 hours earlier.