Is Pochettino PL's Best?

With a reputation for getting the best out of his players, and moulding a hard to beat side, Mauricio Pochettino has started to become one of the most talked about managers in world football. Beating a Barcelona side at the peak of their powers whilst at Espanyol, getting Southampton into the top half after fearing relegation, and now leading Tottenham into the knockout stages of the Champions League, it has been an almighty rise for the Argentinian, and who knows where it will lead.

Not blessed with the introduction to management that his competitors have had, he has had to work with players who need development rather than managing a team of stars. His connection with Espanyol earned him a shot as the first team manager when they were languishing at the bottom of La Liga, after helping with the development of the women’s team at the Catalonian club. This came after his two spells as a player there where he fell in love with the City, after leaving Argentina for Barcelona in his early 20’s.

He brought stability to a side without the luxury of money and helped develop younger players as they almost had no choice. His ability to coach players has been evident ever since. He has got the best out of players wherever he has been as he made Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, and even Dejan Lovren improve significantly at Southampton. At Spurs, it’s been the same story, with Sissoko now looking better than last season, and Vertonghen has also become a much more accomplished defender.

Competing in a league with teams who have more money is not easy, but Tottenham have managed to run teams close for the title in the last two seasons. Coming up against the likes of Pep Guardiola, Antonio Conte, Arsene Wenger, Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho is no easy task, with Pochettino unable to challenge them in terms of major honours won.

He hasn’t managed some of the teams that those others have though, with his most significant role in management having been taking the Spurs job, a side who haven’t won the league since 1961. What you would trust him with over the other top managers though, is managing a team of lesser class players, and building them into his own side. His philosophy of bringing through young players and keeping a core of English talent has proved to be a good move, as players making their England debut whilst playing for him since his arrival in the UK has hit double figures.

His mentality is clearly reflected in his players also, as he has formed a good defence in both roles in English management, showing the discipline of his teams. When you look at the likes of Liverpool who look suspect at the back this season, someone like Pochettino could easily have rectified that to balance the weight of how impressive their front line is.

The whole point is not in the defence either, as the midfield at Liverpool is also in need of a re-shape. He has implemented an aggressive and effective midfield at Spurs, with Dier becoming a great hybrid between a centre back and a holding midfielder. Mousa Dembele has become one of the most influential players in the Spurs team, and Harry Winks is emerging as a star of the future and also the present.

His tactical intelligence is also now being shown after he masterminded a draw away as European Champions Real Madrid, before dismantling them at Wembley two weeks later. The one thing to criticise about Pochettino is that he doesn’t win enough games against the big teams away from home, with his only victory since his arrival at Spurs being a 2-1 win at Manchester City. Another North London Derby is around the corner and a win at the Emirates would stretch a lead in the table over their arch rivals, Arsenal, and bolster their chances of a third successive top four finish.

Does he need to win silverware though to be the best in the league? Already out of the Carabao Cup, one of the easiest competitions to win, it’s now difficult to see what competition Tottenham may win this season. The Champions League seems to be beyond their powers, but with the top sides faltering, English sides could stake a claim for Europe’s biggest prize. Manchester City are running away with the title at the moment, but as we all know, league titles can be lost even with an eight point cushion.

But is Pochettino better than Guardiola? Or Mourinho? Or Conte? He has already lost to two of them this season, but with Spurs not spending as much money as his competitors, the end goal may be further away. Who knows what their objective is? I️ don’t feel like they would have expected to challenge for the title twice in his first three years at the club, but now it’s expected. He needs backing to push the side further, and that may mean paying players more. The likes of Dele Alli, Harry Kane, and Christian Eriksen will all have other offers in the coming years, so matching those offers will be key to challenging for trophies.

There is still room for improvement though at Spurs, and plenty to be excited about. A core of English players, a new stadium on the way, one of the countries best training grounds, and a squad still young enough to have potential. Pochettino may be one of the most in-demand managers across the globe if reports are to be believed, but winning something or winning the league in the next couple of years, may just put him at the top of the pile.