LONDON (REUTERS) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino said he was "in shock" after receiving a two-match touchline ban from the English Football Association (FA).
Pochettino, who has not yet decided whether he will appeal the ban, was also fined £10,000 (S$17,000) by the FA on Wednesday after accepting an improper conduct charge for confronting referee Mike Dean following Tottenham's 2-1 Premier League defeat at Burnley.
"I am in shock. I still think it's unfair. But what can I do now? Nothing, only to accept it," Pochettino told reporters on Thursday (March 7) ahead of Tottenham's league trip to Southampton.
"I still need to see the reasons but the letter has still not arrived. I am suspended for two games."
Pochettino said he would make a decision on appealing the ban after reading the FA's letter.
"I'm so curious to see why they decided to do what they did. I need to see the reason why, then we'll see what happens. This is my seventh season in England and you can see how I have behaved from day one."
Pochettino managed Saturday's opponents Southampton when he moved to England in 2013 and he hopes the relegation-threatened side, sitting two points above the drop zone, stay up under manager Ralph Hasenhuettl.
"My wish is Southampton finish in a very good way. Hasenhuttl is doing a very good job, Southampton have a very good squad," Pochettino added.
"A lot of people were disappointed when I left the club and they are not going to forgive, but I still love them. In one year-and-a-half I spent there, it was a great experience."
Pochettino also hoped Manchester City and Liverpool would join Tottenham and Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals as he wanted all four English teams in the next round.
"It's fantastic, both clubs in the quarter-finals is massive for English football, and I hope Manchester City and Liverpool can be in the quarter-finals," Pochettino said.
"I'm a person that always tries to help English football, and it's going to be amazing if there are four teams in the quarter-finals."
