After making the best start of the season under the "hell difficulty" of "zero signings", scoring 7 points in 3 games to escape the Champions League death group, Argentine coach Pochettino once again proved his ability Strength, leading Tottenham Hotspur to survive in adversity. However, with the dismissal of Lopetegui and Mourinho, a new round of coveting of Pochettino by wealthy clubs has begun. The pursuit of the Argentine by Real Madrid, Manchester United and others is also a problem that Tottenham must face.
This young coach who was recommended to Manchester United by Sir Alex Ferguson and called "the best in the world" by Guardiola is a key figure in the rise of Tottenham in recent years. How to retain this key figure in the rise of Tottenham is crucial to the future destiny of Lilywhites; Pochettino's future positioning will also be the vane for the change of the management model of this upstart North London team. The best young coach is hard to come by, so Spurs must not ruin their good cards.
(To continue to improve, Tottenham must keep Pochettino)
"Complex Talent" Pochettino
From Cruyff to Ancelotti, "playing and teaching" is the conventional coaching production model in football. But starting with the rise of Mourinho in Porto, a large number of academic young coaches began to be active on the European stage. These coaches were generally unknown when they were players or even had no experience as players, but they have solid theoretical foundations and are well versed in various modern football techniques such as video analysis and data analysis.
Many coaches are capable of surprising tactical creations. "Mechanic" Schmidt's high-pressure tactics during his time at Red Bull Salzburg shocked Guardiola and became a "rock coach" Klopp relied on high-pressure tactics and almost reached the top of Europe. But on the other hand, the lack of top player experience has also made many coaches at a loss in the politics of wealthy clubs. The proud Tuchel and Paulo Sosa have turned against their clubs one after another. Mourinho also failed to improve in personal technical details. Shford and Lingard have been criticized.
(Klopp once said that he has a "third-rate body, first-rate consciousness")
As the leader among young coaches, Pochettino has superb and scientific training and management skills. The Argentine once made players walk on hot carbon to improve their ability to withstand pressure, and was once called the "tyrant of the training ground"; however, Pochettino's team rarely suffered injuries. From the 2014/2015 season to the 2015/2016 season, The total number of injuries to Tottenham players is 55, Arsenal 66, Manchester City 82, and Manchester United 98. The young coach's excellent professional ability is evident.
At the same time, Pochettino made great achievements in La Liga and French Ligue 1 during his player era. He also has the characteristics of "teaching when you play well" and is good at dealing with complex personnel relationships. When Kane faced criticism for his penalty change last season, Pochettino immediately supported his beloved player. Tottenham's ability to retain popular players such as Kane and Ali at relatively low wages is largely due to the centripetal force brought by Pochettino's personality.
(Pochettino is the core figure of Tottenham’s youth team)
Opportunities and shackles in crazy times
If you understand Tottenham’s business model in recent years If so, it will definitely further awe Pochettino. Although they sit in the feng shui treasure land of North London, Tottenham owner Lewis and his agent Levy have always adhered to the principle of "football is business" and rarely participated in fierce price wars. Unlike "true fan" Abramovich, the Jewish consortium is more interested in profits than trophies. In recent seasons, Tottenham's annual net investment has been basically around 10 million euros, which is completely incomparable to the rest of the "big6".
As Lewis’s “big steward”, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy never gives up any opportunity to make profits. This top student graduated from Cambridge University was once angered by Sir Alex Ferguson because of his negotiating skills. Called "disgusting". In order to force his opponents to submit, Levy often drags negotiations into the countdown stage of the transfer window. On more than one occasion, teams that are in economic crisis have "taken advantage of the situation" and acquired young and promising players at very low prices.
(Levi is a negotiator who is feared throughout Europe)
Levi even did not hesitate to put economic interests above the team's record. Although his "delaying tactics" It can allow it to harvest enough funds, but it also seriously interferes with Tottenham's own transfer operations and Pochettino's preparations for war. Nkoudou, Fazio and Stamboli, who were hastily acquired at the end of the transfer window, basically became passers-by at White Hart Lane, which also brought about the difference between Tottenham's main and substitute lineups. the huge gap between.
Moreover, in recent seasons, the European football transfer market has undergone tremendous changes. The Neymar incident marked a new round of expansion of the transfer bubble. Even the wily Levi was at a loss as to what to do in the past, finding it difficult to find "good quality and cheap" players as in the past. The failure of the new stadium plan and the inflated player values ??brought about by the World Cup year are also not conducive to Tottenham's operations. In the summer of 2018, Lilywhites embarrassingly became the first team in the history of the Premier League with "zero signings". Although Tottenham's special business philosophy has gained a lot in the past few years, it has also become a shackles for the team.
Do it and cherish it, Levi, don’t ruin the good cards
Since joining Tottenham, Pochettino has always maintained great forbearance and restraint, allowing the management to make transfers The purpose of the market is to make profits, and to promptly appease his disciples who are dissatisfied with their treatment. On the one hand, this is due to the young marshal's gentle and reserved character, but on the other hand, it is also due to the consideration of obtaining a stable "leveling" environment and improving his own business capabilities. As Pochettino's reputation in European football grows, the relationship between the host and guest is also undergoing subtle changes, gradually beginning to transform into a "two-way choice".
After the end of the 2018 summer window, Pochettino rarely expressed dissatisfaction with summer signings. It’s no secret that Real Madrid and Manchester United are interested in the Argentine, and Paris Saint-Germain, his old club during his playing days, also has a deep connection with him. Although Levy holds the power of life and death for Pochettino, once Tottenham's support is not enough to realize the young coach's ideals and ambitions, Pochettino may also leave and join a wealthy club that is hungry for talent. Tottenham must have a sense of crisis about this.
(Many giants are about to have their coaching posts vacant, and the "Battle for Pochettino" will surely begin next summer)
Of course, Tottenham are not completely passive in the battle for Pochettino. . In the latest contract extension, Levy persuaded Pochettino to remove the liquidated damages clause. Smart Jewish businessmen are bound to build barriers next summer and use high asking prices to discourage wealthy clubs from poaching. After the contract renewal was completed, Levy also personally gave Pochettino a luxury car as a gift. The usually mean and unkind Jewish businessman was able to win people's hearts in a rare way, and he obviously also realized the importance of retaining Pochettino.
After experiencing the continuous construction of famous coaches Redknapp, Villas-Boas and Pochettino, Tottenham already has a status comparable to the first-class giants. As their status improves, Tottenham's business strategy must also be adjusted. The key step is to give Pochettino a certain amount of transfer decision-making power to help the Argentinian further build this youth army into a team that can compete for championships on multiple fronts.
(Kane, Son Heung-min, etc. are about to enter their peak period, Tottenham need to seize the opportunity)
Kane, Alli and Eriksen are important, but Pochettino is It is Tottenham's core competitiveness. If Tottenham can survive future poaching, it is very likely that they can return to their glory days. But if Pochettino leaves, this team with the young coach at its core may also fall apart. Do it and cherish it, Levi must not ruin a good deck of cards.
（LLWY）