Tottenham Hotspur’s manager spoke for five minutes and 12 seconds uninterrupted towards the end of his press conference on Saturday

Mauricio Pochettino was wrapping up his post-match press conference following Spurs’ 3-1 win over Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday when the last question put to him sparked a lengthy response.

Goals from Lucas Moura, Kieran Trippier and Harry Kane secured all three points for Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium despite Aleksandar Mitrovic second-half leveller.

Afterwards Pochettino was asked about the result, his formation change, Kane getting off the mark in August for the first time, Trippier’s free kick and then one of his Belgium defenders.

It was the final question - do you want to keep Toby Alderweireld here for the whole season now he is back in the team or if there is an opportunity for him to leave is that a possibility as well? – which saw the Argentinean speak for five minutes and 12 seconds uninterrupted.

He said: “Look this season I am not going to talk. Lok, many things happened and are going to happen and happened in the past. I am not going to talk, because that is a private matter.

“Only I am going to talk about what you saw on the pitch, about the performance, about decisions. It’s obvious like I explained in the press conference. I’m not going to talk about it.

“I told you players that have the possibility to stay here, I not talk about him, I talk about in general always. I want player commitment with the team. Players that are not happy, from my point of view, everyone can leave.

“Then it’s different if they can negotiate with Daniel (Levy) and be agreed. But for me I want players who are fully committed with the team and want to fight for the team. The players that are here are all committed.

“Not one told me that they wanted to find a solution. That is why I’m not going to make any comment about that situation because you know everyone can have their opinion and it’s a lot of parts in different situations that can give or provide different information.

“The only information and the only truth that I can translate to our fans is myself. I am so open to listen to players if they want to leave. But if they are going to be here, I want all commitment.

“If not, tomorrow we can find a solution, but I told you, it’s not to say ‘gaffer, you are so aggressive in your position’.

“No, I am just so tired to talk about this if some player want or some player are not happy and of course I understand everyone, if they cannot play, will be disappointed, but these are the rules in football.

“You created football. You created the rules. It’s only 11 players. Why didn’t the English people in the past put 22 or 24 players playing against 22 or 24.

“Why is the squad 25 players if you can only play 11? Why not rules like in basketball where you can change one minute, five minutes in, out? Why not maybe like in Italy all on the bench.

“Oh, many, many things. Come on. I am so tired of that. I want to enjoy football. If I am here, in my position as a manager, it is because the club trusts in my decision, not because I am so handsome.

“Maybe that too, but no seriously look for me it’s wasting time and wasting time and wasting time and you lose the opportunity maybe to improve or have the possibility to challenge for big things.

“I understand every single situation, I understand agents, I understand everything that football become a business, a big business too and people have protect their asset and duh duh duh, daa daa, doo doo (sic) too.

“It’s a lot of things that I can say, but I promise you I’m not going to waste time talking about individual situations.

“Who’s not happy? We have the possibility to fix. If not professional, contract, every week or every month the club pay on the 28th the salary.

“The player when they sign a contract they sign to be available to be selected by the manager. But when they sign they sign to show the manager in training that they deserve to play.

“The manager can have some predilection, maybe to play with three at the back or four or five, but look players who don’t play, they need to wait to see if I am going to be sacked or if someone, or another, finds another solution.

“Look you know better than me, but it’s wasting time like this. It’s not going to change. You’re not going to put pressure on me, agents are not going to put pressure on my decision. No one is going to blackmail me.

“The club is not going to put pressure on me because if not I go home. Look, many things can happen. Sorry for giving you this situation, but I want to enjoy football; I promise you.

“When I started playing football it was because I loved the emotions that translated with the ball. When I started my career as a manager it was to provide the players with the tools to play and enjoy football on the pitch.

“But sometimes it is so tough, but that is part of my job too, I understand.”