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The Mauricio Pochettino thread

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Luka Van der Bale

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As I stated before none what you say really relates to sustainability. Sustainabilty relates to capacity, resources and retention and there had been no discernible alterations in these areas so I don't see how you can make such a claim.
Redknapp brought us our first ever top 4 finish, and that was one of the best things I've ever experienced as a fan. But at that stage it was just a one off, and seen by opposition fans and the world as something unlikely to happen again. After this season we will likely have finished in the top 4 four seasons out of 8, and two in a row.

As for capacity and resources, we are a year from moving into the new stadium. This is almost exclusively seen as a massive step in the growth of our club. Even when Harry left the stadium was forever away. We didn't know when it was coming.

Do you talk to opposition fans? Living in Northern Ireland everyone I know supports Arsenal, United or Liverpool. The difference in the level of respect we are treated with now and then is staggering. Back then it was 'once Harry takes the England job, and Bale and Modric leave, you'll be back down never to challenge for top 4 again.' Now that Harry, Bale and Modric have left, and we've rebuilt and are still up there with a second top-4 quality side, it's clear to people that we are here to stay as challengers at the top end. The fact we've sustained this success at the top end of the league is a huge deal. That's why the success is more sustainable - we've proven that even once that team was taken apart and another built, this club has enough to challenge at the top end. That team hadn't. That team could possibly have been a one off.
 

Luka Van der Bale

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8. I think the likes of VDV, King and Sandro from that time would also make a strong play to get into this side.
King slipped my mind. He'd get into any defence in the world on talent, but let's be honest- our defence benefits hugely from having a consistent partnership and not wondering every week whether King is available.

Van der Vaart? Don't think Pochettino would entertain him for a second tbh.

As for Sandro, I loved the man. But I think you've got your timings mixed up here. He was a young player getting the odd game in his first season, and was kept out of the side by Parker in his second. You're thinking of the AVB Sandro who was an absolute animal, although I'd still argue (reluctantly - the beast was a personal favourite) Wanyama has a better all-round game.
 

Neon_Knight_

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King slipped my mind. He'd get into any defence in the world on talent, but let's be honest- our defence benefits hugely from having a consistent partnership and not wondering every week whether King is available.

Van der Vaart? Don't think Pochettino would entertain him for a second tbh.

As for Sandro, I loved the man. But I think you've got your timings mixed up here. He was a young player getting the odd game in his first season, and was kept out of the side by Parker in his second. You're thinking of the AVB Sandro who was an absolute animal, although I'd still argue (reluctantly - the beast was a personal favourite) Wanyama has a better all-round game.

Agree with you on VDV. Great player in possession, but doesn't do anywhere near enough off the ball to play in Poch's system. A bit like Mourinho didn't see Mata as the right fit for Chelsea, only a few months after being voted their player of the season.

During our season in the CL, under Redknapp, Sandro put in some very big, match-winning performances. I'd say he was roughly on a par with Wanyama defensively, but less good on the ball...or at least less aware of his limitations.
 

Gassin's finest

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King slipped my mind. He'd get into any defence in the world on talent, but let's be honest- our defence benefits hugely from having a consistent partnership and not wondering every week whether King is available.

Van der Vaart? Don't think Pochettino would entertain him for a second tbh.

As for Sandro, I loved the man. But I think you've got your timings mixed up here. He was a young player getting the odd game in his first season, and was kept out of the side by Parker in his second. You're thinking of the AVB Sandro who was an absolute animal, although I'd still argue (reluctantly - the beast was a personal favourite) Wanyama has a better all-round game.
Poch would absolutely have loved Parker.
 

Gassin's finest

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Agreed. I also often wonder what he could have done with a young Jenas. Genuinely think he could have turned him into a wonderful player.
Jenas... I dunno. He was an infuriating player for me, and even Bobby Robson couldn't get him to hold his focus. He was always capable of terrific all round performances, but he would go through dips. I don't think JJ would have been able to maintain it under Poch.
 

Donki

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Not sure about that. Not mobile enough.

I thought he was pretty hard working? Not the fastest no but great on the ball, good passer and will get you 10ish goals a season. I'd say he would have worked better in our squad now than what we seen of him, AVB didn't seem to know where to put him.
 

tiger666

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I thought he was pretty hard working? Not the fastest no but great on the ball, good passer and will get you 10ish goals a season. I'd say he would have worked better in our squad now than what we seen of him, AVB didn't seem to know where to put him.

I dunno, maybe. What do I know anyway, I thought Rohan Ricketts was the bollocks.
 
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Luka Van der Bale

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Jenas... I dunno. He was an infuriating player for me, and even Bobby Robson couldn't get him to hold his focus. He was always capable of terrific all round performances, but he would go through dips. I don't think JJ would have been able to maintain it under Poch.
Sounds very like Walker, Rose, Dembele pre-Poch. Pochettino is a master at taking someone with all the physical attributes and giving them the mental focus to succeed, providing they are willing to learn.

As for his time at Newcastle... think Bobby was getting on a bit by then, Jenas was very young (19-21?) and there was a lot wrong at the club.
 

Gassin's finest

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Sounds very like Walker, Rose, Dembele pre-Poch. Pochettino is a master at taking someone with all the physical attributes and giving them the mental focus to succeed, providing they are willing to learn.

As for his time at Newcastle... think Bobby was getting on a bit by then, Jenas was very young (19-21?) and there was a lot wrong at the club.
Robson was still getting Newcastle into the CL back then, but it was a characteristic of JJ's whole career... he just never quite had that drive to push himself.
 

Luka Van der Bale

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Robson was still getting Newcastle into the CL back then, but it was a characteristic of JJ's whole career... he just never quite had that drive to push himself.
Jenas won young player of the year during Newcastle's last CL qualification in 02-03. His problems started once Robson's career started to wane.
 

Donki

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Didn't we have to sell following some "off the field"issues?

Honestly can't remember just looked up his career and the only decent spell he had was with Sampdoria. Then got what must of been a dream move to Juve on a free and spent his whole 4 years there being on loan to smaller clubs.

I can't see anything about OFF the field problems.
 

yido_number1

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Robson was still getting Newcastle into the CL back then, but it was a characteristic of JJ's whole career... he just never quite had that drive to push himself.

JJ is quite honest in interviews about the team lacking in belief they could be top and about people doing what they needed to. I think Poch would of transformed him and given him the lacking aggression he needed.

Poch said himself on reflection GS was perfect for our team and regretted letting him go.
 

TheHood

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Modric wasn't terrible when he first arrived he just took time to adapt and also had his leg broken by Lee Bowyer if memory serves correct.
Bale did improve under Redknapp but for large parts of his time with him we considered selling Bale as he couldn't win a game. AVB turned Bale into the monster he became.
Walker was pretty poor under Redknapp and has only really been achieving his potential under Poch.
Rose was pushed to left back Sunderland not Redknapp and we all wanted him gone until Poch made him the winner and best left back in the league. Rose even said he never got coaching to play the position under Redknapp.

Yes we played some great stuff under Redknapp but we always lacked the winning mentality and we fell at the final hurdle almost every time.

Compare that to what Poch has done with Walker, Rose, Eriksen, Kane, Alli, Dier, Lamela and Dembele and you should be able to spot the difference. Redknapp get's fourth and its the best we could hope for. Also don't forget Redknapp basically saying we should of sold Modric to Chelsea. Could you imagine Poch doing the same? Poch get's third and wants to gut half the players and change the mentality. Spot the winner.

Quite a lot wrong there,

Modric was terrible, he looked every bit the player that Wenger made him out to be. It was Redknapp who gradually turned it around for him and started that by moving him from AM to left wing and then to the centre the following season after he had become established. And his broken leg came in his second season after he had already started to establish himself at left wing.

As for Bale, oh come on, he was failing under 2 managers and was going nowhere . It was Redknapp who aided him into becoming the player that he is today, he was sensational when he broke into the side in the second half of the 09/10 season. AVB did indeed assist him moving to the next level but Redknapp was the one who started this. As for nearly selling him, well that is utterly irrelevant, the fact is he didn't. On that basis you could argue that the man is superb talent scout because he 'nearly' signed Suarez.

With respect to Walker, well he can't have been that poor given that he won the PFA young player of the year in his breakthrough season and like most players that age he was always going to have difficult times during his development.

I'm sorry but it was Redknapp who converted Rose to a left back, it is well documented and he had a number of games in that postion prior to his Sunderland loan. Had that conversion not taken place then i very much doubt he would a PL player now.

As I stated previously I think there is little difference between the two managers. Both have virtually identical with ratios, both achievements are pretty much aligned and both employ/employed the same strategy with respect to the league and the Cup tournaments ( their comments with regards to the UEFA Cup are a carbon copy of each other). I really do not understand this winning mentality argument. Last season the archetypal Redknapp season compete with end of season collapse.

What this ultimately is about is personality, Redknapp was a loathsome toad in that's regard whist Pochettinho is not. But that does not have any effect on a manager's ability or the outcomes that they achieve and people should allow themselves to be coloured by.
 
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