Mauricio Pochettino spends most afternoons camped in his office at
Tottenham’s plush north London training centre with his trusted inner circle.
He shuts the door and talks with his assistants Jesus Perez, Miguel D’Agostino and Tony Jiminez. Discussions revolve around various subjects; analysing individual performances, thoughts on tactics or planning of training sessions.
While players and staff are encouraged to knock on the door if there is anything they want to discuss, it is a very different approach to his predecessor Tim Sherwood, who barely set foot in the office and would spend his days based in the canteen, nicknamed ‘the pub’.
A slight sense of detachment has been felt by a significant number of Spurs players this season, with Pochettino facing complaints from fringe players about his lack of communication and feedback.
The dividing lines have long been established by Pochettino. The Argentine knows which players he wants to keep next season and those that will be moved on. That will be reflected in some ruthless decisions in the summer, with up to 10 players available for transfer as Spurs plan an extensive overhaul of their squad.
Pochettino has boxed carefully and cleverly during the first campaign of his five-year contract. He has lifted the spirit of both the players and the supporters, and has built around a core of academy graduates led by 30-goal Harry Kane.
He has also spoken optimistically in public and refused to criticise the players in the same manner as Sherwood, whose media proclamations angered the board.
Behind the scenes, though, Pochettino has identified almost exactly the same problems in the squad as the now Aston Villa boss - most notably the weak mentality of the group and the need for more leaders.
It was hoped Pochettino’s appointment would help bring the best out of the club’s expensive signings, but there is now a grim realisation that the ‘abundance of top-class talent’ in the squad he cited last May simply does not exist.
There was always an acceptance that Pochettino’s first year would be a transitional season and that has been borne out.
On Saturday, Pochettino prepares to return to former side Southampton for the first time with the Londoners just one point ahead of the south coast club. After 33 games last season, Tottenham sat sixth with 59 points; this year they have 57 points and lie seventh in the table.
Spurs hope that next season they will start to see a return on the foundations built over the last year, not just on the pitch as Pochettino has implemented his philosophy, but in the transfer market with a more structured approach to signings.
Paul Mitchell, the head of recruitment also brought in from Southampton, is leading the search for players that will immediately improve Tottenham’s squad and get them punching above their weight. They are mainly targeting a centre-back, central midfielder and a fast winger.
The club have to be astute in the transfer market if they are to compete for a Champions League spot, particularly as they have only the sixth highest wage bill in the Premier League and a £400m stadium project to finance.
Pochettino used pre-season and the early part of the campaign to assess the squad, but he has long drawn his conclusions on many of the players. The 43-year-old will encourage Levy to clear out a number of unwanted players in the summer, including Emmanuel Adebayor, Roberto Soldado, Paulinho, Vlad Chiriches, Younes Kaboul, Etienne Capoue and Aaron Lennon.
Spurs may have to take a financial hit on some players and there are some that will refuse to take a pay cut to leave north London. But according to sources, Pochettino has barely hidden his disinterest in players that do not feature in his long-term plans.
Goal has spoken to more than one first-team member who has complained about Pochettino’s ‘cold’ approach to man-management.
There is a frustration among some fringe members of the squad about a lack of feedback and a sense that Pochettino only has time for players that are part of his long-term plans.
Even compatriots Erik Lamela and Federico Fazio are said to have little more than a cordial relationship with Pochettino, while he doesn’t talk at all to players he has exiled from his matchday squad including Adebayor, Kaboul and Capoue.
“The only players he really talks to and shows interest in are Hugo [Lloris], Danny Rose and Harry Kane,” one player, who is a regular in the matchday squad, told Goal.
“The lack of personal feedback is frustrating. As a player you want to be told where to improve. Do I need to work on my weaker foot? Is it my tactical positioning? Do I need to get fitter?
“You don’t want to be told that everything is fine when you’re not getting the playing time you want.”
Pochettino, both privately and in public, insists there is ‘no problem’ with Adebayor and the other outcasts, who contrary to perception have generally behaved professionally, although there have been a few issues. Capoue, for example, has been described as "immature".
Rumours of a bust-up between the squad following a defeat earlier in the season have been vehemently denied by all parties, but Pochettino needs to cut the weeds and build a squad next season with complete buy-in of all of his players.
If he gets the changes he wants, Pochettino will have much more to chew over when he holds his meetings at Tottenham’s state-of-the-art training ground next season.
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896...-five-year-plan-is-hitting-its-critical-phase
Oh look, Stobart with another negatively spun piece.