Mauricio Pochettino has revealed he will not risk the long-term fitness of his World Cup stars and rush them back for Tottenham Hotspur’s first game of the Premier League season – even if supporters are upset by that decision.

Spurs face being without up to nine first-team players – all of whom played in the semi-finals of the World Cup 2018 (and therefore either the final or third-place play-off) – for their opening game against Newcastle United in eight days’ time.

Those nine potential absentees from Russia are not due back in training until five days before the Newcastle game, while Spurs’ preseason tour in the USA has left Victor Wanyama, Moussa Sissoko and Erik Lamela all injured, with Harry Winks also struggling with an ankle problem.

Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Show all 15 1 /15 Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan AC Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu (10) makes a free kick that sails wide of the Tottenham goal during the second half of an International Champions Cup soccer match, Tuesday, July 31, 2018 in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler/Star Tribune via AP) Jeff Wheeler AP Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan Soccer Football - International Champions Cup - Tottenham Hotspur v AC Milan - U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, USA - July 31, 2018 Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min speaks with Christian Eriksen REUTERS/Eric Miller ERIC MILLER Reuters Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 31: Head coach Mauricio Pochettino of the Tottenham Hotspur leaves the field after defeating AC Milan at the International Champions Cup 2018 at U.S. Bank Stadium on July 31, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jules Ameel/Getty Images) Jules Ameel Getty Images Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan Tottenham Hotspur's Dutch goalkeeper Michel Vorm looks on the ball during the International Champions Cup friendly football match against Tottenham Hotspur at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 31, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / STEPHEN MATURENSTEPHEN MATUREN/AFP/Getty Images STEPHEN MATUREN AFP/Getty Images Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan Soccer Football - International Champions Cup - Tottenham Hotspur v AC Milan - U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, USA - July 31, 2018 Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino REUTERS/Eric Miller ERIC MILLER REUTERS Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan Tottenham Hotspur's British defender Kyle Walker-Peters (L) controls the ball followed by AC Milan's Italian foward Patrick Cutrone during the International Champions Cup friendly football match between AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 31, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / STEPHEN MATURENSTEPHEN MATUREN/AFP/Getty Images STEPHEN MATUREN AFP/Getty Images Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan AC Milan and Tottenham players watch a free kick by AC Milan's Hakan Calhanoglu (10) during an International Champions Cup soccer match Tuesday, July 31, 2018 in Minneapolis. Tottenham won 1-0. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn) Bruce Kluckhohn AP Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan Tottenham Hotspur's Argentinean goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga (C) grabs the ball during the International Champions Cup friendly football match between AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 31, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / STEPHEN MATURENSTEPHEN MATUREN/AFP/Getty Images STEPHEN MATUREN AFP/Getty Images Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan C Milan's Italian foward foward Fabio Borini (R) gestures as US referee Ismail Elfath (L) walks aways during the International Champions Cup friendly football match at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 31, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / STEPHEN MATURENSTEPHEN MATUREN/AFP/Getty Images STEPHEN MATUREN AFP/Getty Images Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan Tottenham midfielder Georges-Kevin Nkoudou keeps the ball from AC Milan midfielder Jose Mauri, right, during an International Champions Cup soccer match Tuesday, July 31, 2018 in Minneapolis. Tottenham won 1-0. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn) Bruce Kluckhohn AP Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan AC Milan's Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie (C) vies for the ball with Tottenham Hotspur's Frensh defender Georges-Kevin N'Koudou (L) during the International Champions Cup friendly football match between AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 31, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / STEPHEN MATURENSTEPHEN MATUREN/AFP/Getty Images STEPHEN MATUREN AFP/Getty Images Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan Tottenham Hotspur's British defender Kyle Walker-Peters (down) looks up at AAC Milan's Italian defense Alessio Romagnoli during the International Champions Cup friendly football match at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 31, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / STEPHEN MATURENSTEPHEN MATUREN/AFP/Getty Images STEPHEN MATUREN AFP/Getty Images Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan Tottenham Hotspur teammates celebrate as they walk off the pitch after defeating AC Milan 1-0 in their International Champions Cup match at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 31, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / STEPHEN MATURENSTEPHEN MATUREN/AFP/Getty Images STEPHEN MATUREN AFP/Getty Images Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan Tottenham Hotspur's Frensh defender Georges-Kevin N'Koudou (C) shoots the ball during the International Champions Cup friendly football match between AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 31, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / STEPHEN MATURENSTEPHEN MATUREN/AFP/Getty Images STEPHEN MATUREN AFP/Getty Images Tottenham vs AC Milan preseason Tottenham vs AC Milan Members of the Tottenham Hotspur warm up before the International Champions Cup match against AC Milan at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 31, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / STEPHEN MATURENSTEPHEN MATUREN/AFP/Getty Images STEPHEN MATUREN AFP/Getty Images

"On Monday morning they will start their job on the training ground," said Pochettino following Tottenham’s 1-0 victory over AC Milan in their final preseason match, sealed by Georges-Kevin Nkoudou's second goal in as many games.

Mauricio Pochettino after Tottenham's win over Milan (Getty Images)

"First we need to assess them and see what happens. Maybe some players looked after themselves and they've been training, maybe others rested.

"We are not going to take risks. If some players are not ready to play, they are not going to be involved at the weekend. That is so, so clear. If someone is not ready, he's not going to be involved because we are not going to take risks.

"Of course, it's not our fault. It's the reality that happens and pushes us to take some decisions that doesn't help the team from the beginning [of the season] but we need to help some players because after the World Cup, they need a minimum 20 days to rest and stop thinking about football.

"That is the reality. It is a massive challenge for us, because for us it never happened before and we need to be careful. We cannot play them because we need to or because the supporters will be disappointed [if they don't play].