Saturday 25 October 2014 23:04, UK
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino admits it is tough not to feel sorry for Newcastle counterpart Alan Pardew.
Pardew's popularity on Tyneside has sunk to a new low this season after a miserable start, although they did manage their first win at home to Leicester last weekend.
Newcastle travel to White Hart Lane with results of a local newspaper poll suggesting 85% of fans want a managerial change, but Pochettino says Pardew is deserving of more respect.
"I obviously feel sympathy for him," Pochettino said ahead of Sunday's match.
"I don't like it when every single manager is under pressure or is getting criticised. In your career, always you have ups and downs.
"It is important to get some respect because in this job it is always, always you go through moments with some difficulties.
"The best way to deal with this situation is to just be natural, be professional, try to deliver your best and, after that, in football everything can happen."
Pochettino's results since arriving at White Hart Lane have been mixed but he feels there is still plenty to feel positive about, even from the 4-1 defeat by Manchester City last weekend.
"We had a very good game against City," he added. "The difference in the score does not reflect the real situation during the game.
"After an hour we had a very good chance to regain our momentum and to lift our confidence (when Roberto Soldado missed a penalty which would have made it 2-2).
"First of all, we have to win the game for our fans and after to set our base for the future.
"We are still improving, we are still in construction in the way we need to set up our strong base to perform in every game better."
