Jamie Redknapp on Pochittino appointment
Sky Sports pundit and former Spurs player Jamie Redknapp (2002 - 2005) was asked for his views on the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino by the news outlet.
Former England international midfielder Redknapp also played for Southampton for a brief period (17 games) from January until May 2005 under Harry Redknapp.
Q - Jamie what do you make of this news?
A - "It's not a real surprise, I think once they get the managers they want to bring in, I think he was at the top of their list, Van Gaal was obviously mentioned but he has obviously gone to Manchester Unites, so it's no real surprise.
"He's obviously got good pedigree, he's been at Espanyol and the job he's done at Southampton I think everybody is impressed with that. He bought a lot of young talent through and that fits the bill with what Daniel Levy is trying to do at Tottenham.
Q - No denying the job he did for Southampton last season but is this something of a gamble to go for a man on the back of one good season in the Premier League?
A - "Well he did OK at Espanyol and obviously Southampton, having played at Southampton, a very good football club but this is a different kettle of fish altogether.
"Tottenham is a very big club, the expectations are very high, they are looking to get into the top four, they have done it twice in the last 20 years I think it is so it's not always easy, it's not always guaranteed with Daniel Levy and I think they need some continuity for now.
"They have been through a lot of managers over the last 10/15 years since Daniel Levy taken over as chairman. I think they need to give someone the opportunity to build a team now, to many players have gone in and out the club.
"Every time they get a good player they sell them on, which I think is slightly unfair to the fans.
"This year they spent £100m to replace Gareth Bale and it hasn't worked at all so the recruitment policy has to change to a certain extent because apart from Christian Eriksen the players they brought in in the summer haven't done well enough this year."
Q- You talk about the need to give the new manager time at Tottenham, do you think the 5-year contract is acknowledgement from Daniel Levy that he needs to do that or do you agree with John Barnes speaking about Brendan Rogers earlier when he is in modern football long-term contract means nothing really?
A - "A long-term contract doesn't mean anything at Tottenham, that's for sure. If they don't finish in the top four this year there is going to be an awful lot of pressure on him. That's been the way that they've run the club in the last few years; I don't believe it's the right way to go about it.
"But if they give him five years, he's a young manager who did a good job at Southampton bringing young players through. I must admit that he was given a good base by Nigel Adkins - Southampton have a really good youth system there - and they'll be hoping they can do that at Tottenham.
"That's the key now - to try and bring some good young players through and give them opportunities. He'll need a bit of time and a bit of support and it will be interesting to see which players they bring in, in the summer. Will he be able to bring the best out of Erik Lamela? Being Argentinean will help; they spent an awful amount of money on him and it hasn't really worked out. They may feel he can get the best out of him.
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Q - And alongside the players he's already got there and bringing through the young players as you've explained , how many new signing do you think Tottenham need in this off-season to make sure they are ready for a crack at the top 4?
A - I honestly don't know the answer to that question.They've bought in so many players in the summer and it hasn't worked. You can't have that conveyor belt of bringing in new players all the time, it takes time especially foreign players when you bring them into the country, say 5 or 6 at a time.
"I think sometimes you just have to say OK let's see what we've got now, assess the situation. If you want to bring in 2 quality players to add to the squad but I don't think it will work with a scatter gun approach and you're taking out 5 or 6 players and bringing in 5 or 6 players. It just doesn't work.
"I think the Tottenham fans deserve for someone to be given time, work with the players they got there now and give him a year to get it right. That's absolutely fie but to expect him to come and change things straight away it doesn't always work like that.
"You can't expect Pochettino to come in and change things straight away - it doesn't always work like that. This is Tottenham, this is Daniel Levy, they must look look across the road in north London and think about the time that Arsene Wenger has been given and maybe they could try that approach with Pochettino because they tried with Villas-Boas and obviously Tim Sherwood this year and now they are going for another young manager.
"These are interesting times at Tottenham. They have to have a change of philosophy to a certain extent and bring in the players that are going to take the football club onwards and upwards because it hasn't worked the last three or four years what they've done."
Former England international midfielder Redknapp also played for Southampton for a brief period (17 games) from January until May 2005 under Harry Redknapp.
Q - Jamie what do you make of this news?
A - "It's not a real surprise, I think once they get the managers they want to bring in, I think he was at the top of their list, Van Gaal was obviously mentioned but he has obviously gone to Manchester Unites, so it's no real surprise.
"He's obviously got good pedigree, he's been at Espanyol and the job he's done at Southampton I think everybody is impressed with that. He bought a lot of young talent through and that fits the bill with what Daniel Levy is trying to do at Tottenham.
Q - No denying the job he did for Southampton last season but is this something of a gamble to go for a man on the back of one good season in the Premier League?
A - "Well he did OK at Espanyol and obviously Southampton, having played at Southampton, a very good football club but this is a different kettle of fish altogether.
"Tottenham is a very big club, the expectations are very high, they are looking to get into the top four, they have done it twice in the last 20 years I think it is so it's not always easy, it's not always guaranteed with Daniel Levy and I think they need some continuity for now.
"They have been through a lot of managers over the last 10/15 years since Daniel Levy taken over as chairman. I think they need to give someone the opportunity to build a team now, to many players have gone in and out the club.
"Every time they get a good player they sell them on, which I think is slightly unfair to the fans.
"This year they spent £100m to replace Gareth Bale and it hasn't worked at all so the recruitment policy has to change to a certain extent because apart from Christian Eriksen the players they brought in in the summer haven't done well enough this year."
Q- You talk about the need to give the new manager time at Tottenham, do you think the 5-year contract is acknowledgement from Daniel Levy that he needs to do that or do you agree with John Barnes speaking about Brendan Rogers earlier when he is in modern football long-term contract means nothing really?
A - "A long-term contract doesn't mean anything at Tottenham, that's for sure. If they don't finish in the top four this year there is going to be an awful lot of pressure on him. That's been the way that they've run the club in the last few years; I don't believe it's the right way to go about it.
"But if they give him five years, he's a young manager who did a good job at Southampton bringing young players through. I must admit that he was given a good base by Nigel Adkins - Southampton have a really good youth system there - and they'll be hoping they can do that at Tottenham.
"That's the key now - to try and bring some good young players through and give them opportunities. He'll need a bit of time and a bit of support and it will be interesting to see which players they bring in, in the summer. Will he be able to bring the best out of Erik Lamela? Being Argentinean will help; they spent an awful amount of money on him and it hasn't really worked out. They may feel he can get the best out of him.
Recent Stories:
How Pochettino's youth approach will improve Spurs
Former boss Gerry Francis - It's a big step for Pochettino
How many of the 'Summer Seven' will stay?
Chiriches will not remain in England
Ginola - £26m for scoring penalties!
Q - And alongside the players he's already got there and bringing through the young players as you've explained , how many new signing do you think Tottenham need in this off-season to make sure they are ready for a crack at the top 4?
A - I honestly don't know the answer to that question.They've bought in so many players in the summer and it hasn't worked. You can't have that conveyor belt of bringing in new players all the time, it takes time especially foreign players when you bring them into the country, say 5 or 6 at a time.
"I think sometimes you just have to say OK let's see what we've got now, assess the situation. If you want to bring in 2 quality players to add to the squad but I don't think it will work with a scatter gun approach and you're taking out 5 or 6 players and bringing in 5 or 6 players. It just doesn't work.
"I think the Tottenham fans deserve for someone to be given time, work with the players they got there now and give him a year to get it right. That's absolutely fie but to expect him to come and change things straight away it doesn't always work like that.
"You can't expect Pochettino to come in and change things straight away - it doesn't always work like that. This is Tottenham, this is Daniel Levy, they must look look across the road in north London and think about the time that Arsene Wenger has been given and maybe they could try that approach with Pochettino because they tried with Villas-Boas and obviously Tim Sherwood this year and now they are going for another young manager.
"These are interesting times at Tottenham. They have to have a change of philosophy to a certain extent and bring in the players that are going to take the football club onwards and upwards because it hasn't worked the last three or four years what they've done."
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