Mauricio Pochettino is very much a man of the moment. The Tottenham manager is respected for his achievements with the Premier League club, and also for his approach to the game.
Essentially, Pochettino is seen as a nice guy doing good, and there’s a lot to like in that.
The positive coverage the Argentine has been receiving has inevitably led to some opposition fans becoming quite upset at the attention, and therefore dragging Pochettino back down by pointing out Spurs haven’t actually won anything, but it’s plain and simple that Poch is doing a very good job.
That means everyone wants to talk to him, and this weekend L’Equipe had an interview with the Tottenham boss. Aside from talking about his approach towards the game, and influence from current Lille manager Marcelo Bielsa, L’Equipe were interested in how Tottenham are bringing through young players so well.
Pochettino explained that in order to teach players, they have to be willing to learn, so no matter the style of play, enthusiasm has to be the major factor.
“You have to be able to teach what you want and your group needs to be able to learn. The other day, John McDermott, who looks after Tottenham academy, said to me: “We only teach if the student or group learns.”
“He is right. I can tell you, “Do this!” Ok, But if the player doesn’t it, it’s because you have failed in your way of asking. The coach can tell you that he worked on a particular exercise in training and that the players didn’t apply the instructions, but, no, no, no, no!”
Asked if he wants all the teams at Tottenham’s academy to play the same way, like at Barcelona’s La Masia, Pochettino was very sure: “No, because I believe that in the training process we must emphasise the potential of the players. We cannot put them in a system. Because the first team plays in one way, would it be necessary to repeat the same moves with kids of fourteen or fifteen? No.
“I give young footballers the possibility to have a maximum of information, to be able to work according to different philosophies. We want to train complete players who can adapt to any situation. On the other hand, it’s not the same thing when one speaks about values: to be professional, disciplined, to have a feeling of belonging, as many characteristics which form the identity of the club. That, I want it to be taught. But if we talk about the technical profile, I respect those who want to put this in place, but it is not my idea.”
Working well with young players isn’t a fluke, and it’s something Pochettino has carried from Southampton to Tottenham, to the benefit of both clubs.
