Mauricio Pochettino is taking Spurs in the right direction. It started when double training sessions became compulsory. It started when the players began to press the opposition in packs of threes and fours. Under his wing, the squad already seem to be performing better than they would have done under previous managers.
Recently, Tim Sherwood has been proclaiming his role in nurturing the team to where they are now. Credit does have to go to him for bringing in the younger players, like Nabil Bentaleb. But, without the right tactics, these young players would not be able to play to the standard they are now. Pochettino has created a young, hungry squad that relentlessly presses on until there is no time left in the game. Those last minute winners aren’t luck. It is the result of putting in all those extra hours in the training facilities. Sherwood provided the foundations for Pochettino to build his skyscraper. No one should discredit Sherwood, but similarly, no one should overestimate his impact at the club.
Have Spurs finally found a manager to last them more than 5 years?
In the modern game, managers are frequently dismissed and replaced, but the most successful clubs are those who stay with one manager for a long period of time. Take Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, or perhaps a more common example of Tony Pulis at Stoke City. Ferguson is arguably a breed of manager that only comes around once in a lifetime; his 27 years at the club is an astounding achievement. Yet, Pulis was vital in the development of Stoke. In his three years, he too achieved a substantial amount.
The common theme with many clubs is firstly the chairman’s faith in the manager and secondly, the willingness to provide the manager with the resources he needs. If Daniel Levy can fully support Pochettino for the future, the squad can begin to build up to a historical, trophy-winning side. The first trophy is already on the cards. But, this is one minor trophy on the path to major ones. Pochettino has already proved himself to a certain extent at Spurs. He has his team already some appealing football. Just imagine how high Spurs could be soaring in a few years time.
Truthfully, Pochettino’s work has only just started. He still needs to closely nurture the squad before they can fly out of the nest and kick on to success. But, it’s certainly a promising start. Sixth in the Premier League may not be anything to rave about at the moment, but the most important thing is that the football being played is positive. There’s no bore fest, sit-back-and-watch bus parking. This young Spurs squad has every fan on the edge of their seat (for good and for bad) awaiting the glory that they expect from their team. From an Erik Lamela Rabona to their very own Harry Kane scoring against Arsenal, the true glory is yet to come.
How far can Spurs go? Only time can tell. The new stadium beckons the start of a new era for Spurs. Pochettino will be the master of the ship, of Tottenham’s future.
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