Stadium foundations, Pochettino foundations
5 min read
Arguably the best pundit on TV Gary Neville shows what it takes to be a winner, he played for more England managers than anyone else I believe.
He made the Manchester right-back position his own, he made the England right-back slot his own, he is an assistant with England and is, in my view, the best pundit on TV. You don't do all that by luck, you do it with planning and determination, which stems from a burning desire to succeed.
When he analyses a passage of play or a situation you listen, he has been there and done it, he knows what it takes. On the Monday Night Football programme, he gave his thoughts on Mauricio Pochettino and Spurs, a club who he feels are what they are, never a serious threat, but always there and thereabouts playing nice football.
He makes a valid point, the players we had did not achieve what we wanted, the purchases Andre Villas-Boas made were awful, they weren't players he didn't want, they were players he did want. Unfortunately, some only wanted money and some had weak mentalities giving the club all the evidence they needed to change the analysis and recruitment approach.
A youth strategy has been adopted, there is no point bleating we want superstars, the reality is they wouldn't come to Tottenham, there is nothing for them here, how does time at Tottenham further their career?
It has been clear from the outset though that Pochettinio is here for the long run, our research on him during the assessment process was of a scope we had never undertaken before, we even spoke to his friend to try to find out what sort of person he was I believe, no stone was left unturned as they say.
You do not go to the trouble we went to to give a guy 18 months, besides we have a stadium to build so we can't be changing managers as that involves changing the team, the exact opposite of what we want to do. Pochettino is part of our preparation for the stadium, we had to make the right choice as whoever we selected would be here for the next five years.
A fifth place and a Cup Final in his first season was a justification of his appointment, despite a knot trying to suggest a Cup Final season is somehow a step backwards, it was more a draw a line in the sand season and achievement from that point. The youth all seem to love him and his methods, not least because they get their chances no doubt, but you don't hear the praise for other managers that our youngsters give Pochettino and I'm not talking first-team, but throughout the club.
There are signs the pattern of play is evolving, there is still the question of getting the right players in the right positions, currently we don't have that in its entirety. He has inherited players and the team is a work in progress, the squad is a work in progress.
Progress is the key word, fans should be able to see how we are going to progress, some choose not to, some simply don't think it is possible, preferring to hanker for the unrealistic designer label approach, plastic fans with money in their eyes.
The Spurs defence needed improving, it has been, that often comes at the cost of attacking play. Having improved the defence we have to become accustomed to any limitations that places upon us and work towards the best way of then combining solidity with attacking ability.
It isn't as simple as right this is how we play, everything is solved. Just as you have to piecemeal improve a squad, you have to piecemeal improve a team, a playing style, an understanding of a playing style. When you add new elements they have to come up to speed as it were, there is a learning cycle for them and when you add in changes in position for a player like Eric Dier, expecting the finished article at the moment is simply impatience.
History is history, the present has been one season, that is where we assess from, the beginning of the strategy, I say the beginning, but a return to the strategy after we tried the shortcut approach. We are in the early stages of development, we have started the stadium and are dealing with the foundations first, Pochettino is taking the same approach, he is putting together our playing foundations, both style and squad personnel.
Just as we are building a stadium so we are building a team, a squad, a conveyor belt of talent, a club, a future.
He made the Manchester right-back position his own, he made the England right-back slot his own, he is an assistant with England and is, in my view, the best pundit on TV. You don't do all that by luck, you do it with planning and determination, which stems from a burning desire to succeed.
When he analyses a passage of play or a situation you listen, he has been there and done it, he knows what it takes. On the Monday Night Football programme, he gave his thoughts on Mauricio Pochettino and Spurs, a club who he feels are what they are, never a serious threat, but always there and thereabouts playing nice football.
"I think Pochettino has taken the stance that the players he has been left with from the previous regimes are not good enough. He would prefer to go with the young players, because he thinks at least they'll do what I want them to do and behave how I want them to on the pitch.
"I have got no qualms with him in terms of how he does it. I like his style of play. Spurs need to buck the trend, of how they have been, and give him to time to correct some poor recruitment. After the selling of Bale, they made five, six or seven signings and Christian Eriksen is the only one which has part succeeded. They have to live with him - and that's where it is at this moment in time."
He makes a valid point, the players we had did not achieve what we wanted, the purchases Andre Villas-Boas made were awful, they weren't players he didn't want, they were players he did want. Unfortunately, some only wanted money and some had weak mentalities giving the club all the evidence they needed to change the analysis and recruitment approach.
A youth strategy has been adopted, there is no point bleating we want superstars, the reality is they wouldn't come to Tottenham, there is nothing for them here, how does time at Tottenham further their career?
It has been clear from the outset though that Pochettinio is here for the long run, our research on him during the assessment process was of a scope we had never undertaken before, we even spoke to his friend to try to find out what sort of person he was I believe, no stone was left unturned as they say.
You do not go to the trouble we went to to give a guy 18 months, besides we have a stadium to build so we can't be changing managers as that involves changing the team, the exact opposite of what we want to do. Pochettino is part of our preparation for the stadium, we had to make the right choice as whoever we selected would be here for the next five years.
A fifth place and a Cup Final in his first season was a justification of his appointment, despite a knot trying to suggest a Cup Final season is somehow a step backwards, it was more a draw a line in the sand season and achievement from that point. The youth all seem to love him and his methods, not least because they get their chances no doubt, but you don't hear the praise for other managers that our youngsters give Pochettino and I'm not talking first-team, but throughout the club.
There are signs the pattern of play is evolving, there is still the question of getting the right players in the right positions, currently we don't have that in its entirety. He has inherited players and the team is a work in progress, the squad is a work in progress.
Progress is the key word, fans should be able to see how we are going to progress, some choose not to, some simply don't think it is possible, preferring to hanker for the unrealistic designer label approach, plastic fans with money in their eyes.
The Spurs defence needed improving, it has been, that often comes at the cost of attacking play. Having improved the defence we have to become accustomed to any limitations that places upon us and work towards the best way of then combining solidity with attacking ability.
It isn't as simple as right this is how we play, everything is solved. Just as you have to piecemeal improve a squad, you have to piecemeal improve a team, a playing style, an understanding of a playing style. When you add new elements they have to come up to speed as it were, there is a learning cycle for them and when you add in changes in position for a player like Eric Dier, expecting the finished article at the moment is simply impatience.
History is history, the present has been one season, that is where we assess from, the beginning of the strategy, I say the beginning, but a return to the strategy after we tried the shortcut approach. We are in the early stages of development, we have started the stadium and are dealing with the foundations first, Pochettino is taking the same approach, he is putting together our playing foundations, both style and squad personnel.
Just as we are building a stadium so we are building a team, a squad, a conveyor belt of talent, a club, a future.
8 comments
I like the closing down and pressure, but we need a better plan than inverted wingers. Its a good tool to have, but have a plan B, and C.
I like the closing down and pressure, but we need a better plan than inverted wingers. Its a good tool to have, but have a plan B, and C.
Wanting your team to succeed is being a proper fan, i believe its the excuse mongerers that want to make out that everything is a success when its clearly not are the ones who crave failure as your happy bobbing along doing nothing in the name of being patient and trying to prove to all your a real fan.
And whats best is you try to speak as if your of a higher understanding and then rather ignorantly brand others with terms that you don't actually understand.
Again i'll explain the meaning of a plastic fan- A plastic fan is a person that supports a team just because they win things regularly.
Ie southern liverpool fans in the 70s 80s, Utd fans 90s Chavs from around the Globe 2000s and now the odd Citeh surge. Only 2 of them clubs are Sugar Daddy sides.
And since when did wanting Success for the side you support and love make you 'jealous' of other sides?
Your attempt at being clever has failed badly.