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The Mauricio Pochettino thread

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Archibald Leitch

Active Member
Aug 3, 2017
247
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Aspergers, really? There are some horrible things said on forums, but using mental health disabilities as a mechanism to belittle is really, really low Database.
Aspergers is not a mental health issue. It's a developmental disorder. Some people with Aspergers also have mental health issues. But they are not the same.
 

Gassin's finest

C'est diabolique
May 12, 2010
37,353
87,817
Kaboul was Captain with Adebayor and Lloris Vice Captains. These were the "leaders" amongst the players at that time. :eek: Kaboul and Adebayor were likely the big characters in the dressing room with sway and influence amongst the younger, impressionable players (which explains everything about our performances at that time) but I'm guessing Lloris was always Pochettino's preferred Captain.

Obviously he didn't want to destabilise an already morale damaged dressing room and wanted to give everyone an opportunity to buy into his philosophy.

It was telling how he revoked the captaincies from Kaboul and Adebayor not long after, as he obviously saw firsthand how negative their influence actually was - going as far as to freeze them out, and then rightly give the captaincies roles to Lloris and Vertonghen (with Harry not long after).

Loved how he identified and sucked the "poison" out of our squad back then. Something AVB, Sherwood and to a lesser extent Harry were oblivious to, and unable to do.

It was at that point I knew things were changing at our club and we finally had someone in charge who doesn't fuck about or do things by halves. Then the rest is history.
Poch asked each of the players to choose who they would have as their captain/vice captain, and as you say, they were the most common choices.

They lost their positions in the squad and club because they protested against Kane being selected over Adebayor to Poch, and created a split among the players. Both of them, plus all the players who lined up behind them, were gone by the summer.

With Poch, the team spirit, and his word, is everything. Follow him and he'll love you like family. Cross him and you're out.
 

Lilbaz

Just call me Baz
Apr 1, 2005
41,363
74,893
Poch asked each of the players to choose who they would have as their captain/vice captain, and as you say, they were the most common choices.

They lost their positions in the squad and club because they protested against Kane being selected over Adebayor to Poch, and created a split among the players. Both of them, plus all the players who lined up behind them, were gone by the summer.

With Poch, the team spirit, and his word, is everything. Follow him and he'll love you like family. Cross him and you're out.

I always thought it was they protested about double training sessions saying that they'd be shattered by the end of the season.
 

Gassin's finest

C'est diabolique
May 12, 2010
37,353
87,817
I always thought it was they protested about double training sessions saying that they'd be shattered by the end of the season.
I thought that was Lambert at Southampton? Although I did read something recently from Pochs diaries that he had that issue here too, unsurprisingly.

A far cry from BMJ and his muffins...
 

olliec

Well-Known Member
Jun 20, 2012
3,574
11,763
I don't read books, but this might be one I will buy on my iPad, but 10 quid? Is that normal price for new books?
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
Poch asked each of the players to choose who they would have as their captain/vice captain, and as you say, they were the most common choices.

They lost their positions in the squad and club because they protested against Kane being selected over Adebayor to Poch, and created a split among the players. Both of them, plus all the players who lined up behind them, were gone by the summer.

With Poch, the team spirit, and his word, is everything. Follow him and he'll love you like family. Cross him and you're out.

I always thought it was they protested about double training sessions saying that they'd be shattered by the end of the season.

Yeah from the snippets that came out I thought it was more to do with the training methods/ethos/how things were to be done. There was the big rumour that senior players (Adebayor, Kaboul, Lennon were mentioned - and these were the ones then ostracised) were against it and went and complained to Levy - he gave them short shrift and backed the manager. A lot of the rookie members of the squad rallied round Poch as well, and he won the war.
 

CornerPinDreamer

up in the cheap seats
Aug 20, 2013
3,716
8,088
is this deep defending approach the first innovation that Poch has done which moves away from Bielsa's influence?
 

walworthyid

David Ginola
Oct 25, 2004
7,059
10,242
is this deep defending approach the first innovation that Poch has done which moves away from Bielsa's influence?
This has been the most interesting and significant evolution in our team and manager. To me it is the piece of the jigsaw that will see us win something. The ability to sit when a) against stronger opposition b) when playing against teams that sit in. I think the Dortmund game was the turning point. We sat in against a superior attacking team who could destroy us if we tried to press. We rode our luck but the template was there. Then Madrid, we were comfortable for the most part and perhaps should have won. Finally pool, we executed the plan to perfection.

Psychologically, giving the opposition the ball is a massive leap. You grow up being taught that to win you need to dominate the ball and the territory. In addition there is the ego side of it, you naturally want to impose your game on your opponent. It takes massive belief in the system to let that go.

It's also about being calm when under pressure. How many times to teams fold when they don't have the ball and are under pressure? We used to do it all the time. You could literally see a goal coming. Now we have the capacity to absorb while still looking dangerous. It is a huge thing to have that flexibility. Poch has clearly convinced the players that at times it is the best tactical approach.

If you look at nearly every game we have played against Chelsea they have done exactly that to us. They knew that they couldn't go toe to toe with us and so gave us the ball and the ground and hit us on the counter. If we had done this last season we could well have won the cup or the league or both.

I feel that we still lack a bit of pace and guile in the squad but Lamela returning and Aurier coming in helps with that.

I honestly believe that the last week has seen the next phase in our development. We have gone from a good team to one that can win things.
 

danielneeds

Kick-Ass
May 5, 2004
24,179
48,764
is this deep defending approach the first innovation that Poch has done which moves away from Bielsa's influence?
We moved away from being a pure pressing team last season as well. Biesla is obviously a big influence on Poch's life and career, but I don't think he's ever been a pure acolyte.
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
Kaboul was Captain with Adebayor and Lloris Vice Captains. These were the "leaders" amongst the players at that time. :eek: Kaboul and Adebayor were likely the big characters in the dressing room with sway and influence amongst the younger, impressionable players (which explains everything about our performances at that time) but I'm guessing Lloris was always Pochettino's preferred Captain.

Obviously he didn't want to destabilise an already morale damaged dressing room and wanted to give everyone an opportunity to buy into his philosophy.

It was telling how he revoked the captaincies from Kaboul and Adebayor not long after, as he obviously saw firsthand how negative their influence actually was - going as far as to freeze them out, and then rightly give the captaincies roles to Lloris and Vertonghen (with Harry not long after).

Loved how he identified and sucked the "poison" out of our squad back then. Something AVB, Sherwood and to a lesser extent Harry were oblivious to, and unable to do.

It was at that point I knew things were changing at our club and we finally had someone in charge who doesn't fuck about or do things by halves. Then the rest is history.


To be fair to AVB, he did try with Adebayor and we had ITK that Levy didn't exactly back him up, and he also had Sherwood in a position of authority also stirring up shit against him, and again, Levy has to take some blame for making that situation.

To be fair to Levy he learnt his lesson, cleared out Sherwood and second time round Poch was backed completely with Adebayor and co.
 

Jospur

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2011
1,213
2,290
Kaboul was Captain with Adebayor and Lloris Vice Captains. These were the "leaders" amongst the players at that time. :eek: Kaboul and Adebayor were likely the big characters in the dressing room with sway and influence amongst the younger, impressionable players (which explains everything about our performances at that time) but I'm guessing Lloris was always Pochettino's preferred Captain.

Obviously he didn't want to destabilise an already morale damaged dressing room and wanted to give everyone an opportunity to buy into his philosophy.

It was telling how he revoked the captaincies from Kaboul and Adebayor not long after, as he obviously saw firsthand how negative their influence actually was - going as far as to freeze them out, and then rightly give the captaincies roles to Lloris and Vertonghen (with Harry not long after).

Loved how he identified and sucked the "poison" out of our squad back then. Something AVB, Sherwood and to a lesser extent Harry were oblivious to, and unable to do.

It was at that point I knew things were changing at our club and we finally had someone in charge who doesn't fuck about or do things by halves. Then the rest is history.

Thanks. I think the big change in player leadership came after the game at Stoke. Reading between the lines, I think it was after that game that players like Harry Kane stood up and demanded more from some of the established players - like Kaboul and Adebayor. Quite a thing for a young man to do. And Pochettino was savvy enough to support Kane. Would be great if anyone can remember the 'Stoke incident' and flesh out what I've written.
 

vicbob

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2008
2,401
5,104

Agreed, I am genuinely surprised by the level of bitterness they hold towards Poch, us, the media, everyone, the world, the solar system and the universe. If this is what having an oil rich billionaire using you as a plaything to promote a country and airline then I will settle for what we have.
Poch obviously isn’t fit to lace Pep’s gold plated diamond encrusted boots, but I think he will do ok. Shame he hasn’t been given zillions to spend on every team he’s ever managed, then we would really find out what a brilliant manager he really could be.
 
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