What they're saying: Numerous players and managers discuss Pochettino appointment

Various former Tottenham Hotspur players and managers have called for new Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino to be given time if he is to become a success at White Hart Lane.

The former Southampton boss was officially confirmed as the new man yesterday and the overriding call from supporters and former figures at the club has been to give the 42-year-old enough time to succeed.

Spurs legend Osvaldo Ardiles spoke to talkSPORT about his compatriot and feels one of the key jobs for Pochettino will be to get the best out of the new signings from last summer.

Patience is key

Ardiles said: “Spurs fans will have to be patient. He has a big reputation for building squads. This is what he did at Espanyol and of course at Southampton, where he developed young players and made players play to the maximum of their possibilities.

“For one reason or another, the players [bought into Tottenham last summer] did not perform. It will be a big, big job for Mauricio to make them perform. If he can do that, we can have a very, very good team indeed.

"He needs time. He will be very successful if he can put Tottenham into a Champions League place. That will be the aim, certainly.

"We do have a lot of players. The players we bought last season came with incredibly big reputations but didn't perform the way were expecting them to. If he can make them perform, we don’t need a lot [of new additions]."

Another former manager also had his say on the new appointment, Christian Gross believes the Argentine deserves his shot at managing a huge club.

‘Poch deserves shot at huge club’

The Swiss feels Pochettino has the capacity to help Tottenham finish in the top four, he told Sky Sports: "I'm quite happy for Pochettino because he did extremely well with Southampton. I guess he deserves a chance to become manager with a huge club like Spurs.

"I remember two years ago the former chairman at Southampton wanted to absolutely change the philosophy of coaching and training, so he put in Pochettino from Spain. And he made a big impact with this team.

"First of all they had no problems to get safe in the Premier League, and this year was an extremely good year. I know Cortese wanted to be in the top 10, and they got eighth, so that's a tremendous result. So I guess Pochettino has the capacity to repeat this performance, and to better because (Tottenham) want to finish in the top four."

Darren Anderton, meanwhile, believes exciting times are ahead should the club give the 42-year-old time to stamp his own mark on the squad.

Sky Sports spoke to the former Spurs player today, Anderton said: "I think he'll be great at some point. He's a very good manager but they've got to give him time; give him a chance to bring in the players he wants.

"The fans have been starved of success for too long but they have got to be patient. "They've just got to give him time. There are exciting times ahead."

Defence needs improving

Former defender Paul Miller believes the board have been too quick to dismiss managers in the past and feels Pochettino must be given four transfer windows.

Miller told Sky Sports: "We have had too many managers in the last ten years, I think we all know that, all we want now is to give somebody a couple of years and four transfer windows, let him make his own impression and impact on the team and then ask the question later.

"This six month - three month thing that is happening with managers has got to stop because you don't have continuity and that is a problem for the players."

Miller believes trimming the squad and addressing the defence are issues that Pochettino will have to tackle, he added: “We do have to trim the squad, I think some of the players we have got in have not been good enough and that's a fact.

"There were some there that needed to go and we need to buy some players. We need two or three defenders because that is a problem for us at the moment."

Wrong club?

While many Spurs legends are exciting about the prospect of Pochettino taking over the reins at White Hart Lane, former Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier isn’t sure it is the right move for the Argentinian.

Sour grapes could be aimed at the Sky Sports pundit but he feels the former Saints boss could have waited for a different type of club.

Eurosport quoted Le Tissier, he explained: "I probably wouldn't have made the same move, to be honest. I think in his position, his stock is very high. I would have maybe would have waited for a different club.

"The managers in the last few years at Spurs have not been given a fair crack of the whip and the pressure is on there. If he is not in the top four by Christmas, he will be under pressure.”

Tottenham fans will hope that Le Tissier’s worries are proven false and that the new man can be a resounding success. Judging by the views of various former players and managers, should Pochettino be given time he will show he can become a great.

 

I am of mixed feelings at the moment a bit excited and a bit unsure but he will have 100% my backing and support THFC FOREVER . Levy and the board need now to give him some time to get things right and I don't just mean half a season but at least 2 seasons come on levy be brave and totally back your decision .....COYS

 

I hope he is allowed to be his own man and decide the players he wants and not what the chairman wants. Anyone watching spurs last year knows 2 full backs and another centre half should be first on the list . I also hope he is allowed to hang on to players who are making waves about moving on .