Why the Premier League giants should be worried about Pochettino's Tottenham
Not long ago, in an excerpt from Guillem Balague's new book, Tottenham's chairman Daniel Levy tipped Mauricio Pochettino to form a dynasty at Spurs, much like Sir Alex did at Manchester United.
While right now this comparison between one of, if not the greatest football manager of all time and Pochettino, who is still arguably in the early days of his managerial career, may seem absurd, there is definitely no doubt that the Argentinian has the potential to at least come close to the Manchester United and Aberdeen legend, if not match him.
Under the Shadow
It is hard to understand why the Spurs boss is so underrated, despite proving himself twice in the Premier League, first with Southampton, who he led to their highest ever finish in the Premier League since 2002 and then with Tottenham, a club he transformed from an old club struggling to get into Europa to a young, energetic side which finished 2nd in the Premier League last season, and also challenged for the title the year before that only to be denied by Ranieri's heroics at Leicester.
Even after such an impressive career in the Premier League already, Mauricio Pochettino is still overlooked as one of the best Premier League managers, falling under the shadow of blockbuster names like Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho.
How Pocettino turns clubs around
Mauricio has not only transformed a club like Tottenham, who were struggling to get into a European spot, into genuine title challengers, he has also revamped their entire squad. In his four years at the White Hart Lane, he has introduced England to some of its brightest talents. Harry Kane and Dele Alli, who are at the heart of the English national side, were developed into the bright prospects that they are by Mauricio Pochettino.
Unlike several managers in the Premier League, Pochettino places his full faith in youth. His Spurs side, which finished only behind Conte's Chelsea, were the youngest team in the Premier League. This Spurs side was an example and a beacon of hope that proved it is still possible for youth to flourish, even in today's football, where money is considered the number one factor for success.
His tenure at Southampton was also very similar. He started the 13/14 season by making some smart signings that included the likes of Victor Wanyama and Dejan Lovren. He was also bold enough to get rid of as many as 8 players and also sold the club's captain Dean Hammond. In his successful tenure with the Saints, he led them to their highest points tally while also developing the talents of Adam Lallana, James Ward Prowse, Luke Shaw and Morgan Schneiderlin to name a few.
The Blueprint
Pochettino's Managerial blueprint seems very similar to that of Sir Alex Ferguson at Man Utd. Limited money spent on smart signings, with priority given to entertaining and attacking football and youth development at the heart of their teams.
Pochettino has also pledged his future to the London club and has admitted he is happy to sign a contract as long as 15 years, and don't forget, this is at a point in time where long-term managers are nothing more than a dream for most clubs.
The club is also strongly committed to him and Daniel Levy has placed his full faith in the Argentine and backs him to succeed at Tottenham in the coming decade.
With Pochettino's Spurs, we may be witnessing the rise of a superpower in England. If they successfully retain the talents of Harry Kane and co., the club could go through the greatest phase of its existence.
With Pochettino at the helm, Spurs have a very exciting time ahead of them. If they stay consistent and keep their feet on the ground, there are no limits to what Pochettino can achieve. While he is yet to win a trophy with Spurs, he has already mutated Tottenham into one of the most exciting sides in England and they have an air of confidence about them-- the kind that often leads to success.
Even though no one can predict the future, as of now, Tottenham's look very, very bright, with a young manager and squad on their hands who are ready to take over the world.