Mauricio Pochettino is unfazed by Tottenham's FA Cup semi-final hoodoo after Chelsea prevailed 4-2 at Wembley on Saturday.
Spurs twice pegged back the Premier League leaders thanks to goals from Harry Kane and Dele Alli and were in the ascendancy until Eden Hazard came off the bench to land a decisive blow 15 minutes from time.
Nemanja Matic then added gloss to the scoreline with a spectacular long-range strike that condemned Tottenham to a seventh straight defeat in the final four of the competition.
Paul Gascoigne was Tottenham's hero the last time they won on such an occasion in 1991, but Pochettino insisted he could not be concerned by such trivialities and pointed towards the progress White Hart Lane's current vintage are making.
"It's my first semi-final. I cannot change the past. The past is the past. You need to deal with today, the present to have a better future," he said at a post-match news conference.
"I know that if you're a supporter you feel very disappointed. You always want to win. In the project and the moment that we are in I feel very proud.
"The players are making a fantastic effort. I believe this is an exciting team and it is only a matter of time until we win."
Mauricio: "The motivation is always here and we will find the motivation again." April 22, 2017
Spurs return to Premier League action against Crystal Palace on Wednesday and remain Chelsea's only legitimate challengers for the title – four points shy of Antonio Conte's men.
"To fight on that level with Chelsea, one of the best teams in England, is a big thing for us," Pochettino added.
"Two years ago it was difficult to think of us being at that level – the semi-finals of the FA Cup and fighting for the Premier League. Now it is a reality.
"We have to be careful how we build the team over the next two years. It was not to be [in the FA Cup], this season, but we will try again next season for sure."
