It’s set to be a busy summer what with the World Cup and the transfer window so what exactly will Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino and his coaches be getting up to?
Pochettino and his trusted trio of coaches – assistant manager Jesus Perez, first team coach Miguel D’Agostino and goalkeeping coach Toni Jiminez – are a close knit-bunch having spent many long days and nights together working from their days together at Espanyol, Southampton and now Tottenham.
The Spurs boss was still working away at the club’s Hotspur Way training complex almost a fortnight after the Premier League season finished.
In the days following the end of the season, the Argentine was even involved with work going on at the new players’ lodge at the training ground, talking with workmen about what he wanted and asking questions aplenty about various things they were doing at the new site, which has been used by Brazil’s players ahead of the World Cup.
Once Pochettino’s time was done in Enfield for the season he will head off for his summer spent between his home in England and his one in Barcelona, with a press conference promoting his book “A Brave New World”.
While the aim will be to rest and recharge, the Argentine has admitted that he will not be far from the summer’s transfer scramble and his phone will be constantly ringing.
“I am going to be here and Barcelona is an hour and half away from London, it is so easy and today you have Facetime and Skype,” he said earlier this month.
Pochettino has previously admitted he will not be going to the World Cup in Russia this summer.
“I am not going to be there, I had a lot of invitations but I want to be here [in Enfield] and in Barcelona,” he said last month.
Pochettino will remain in constant contact with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and chief scout Steve Hitchen during the next month.
When clubs give Tottenham permission to speak to transfer targets, Pochettino will talk to the players. This sometimes takes place over the phone or via video call, but the Argentine often likes to meet them in person to get a sense of the player they are looking to sign.
That can take place at Hotspur Way to show off the state-of-the-art training ground or on rare occasions the player will meet Pochettino at his home in Enfield or Barcelona.
In the last two summers, Tottenham’s pre-season has begun on July 4 in 2016 and July 3 last year, which marks out Monday, July 2 as the date various members of the Spurs squad will start to return to Hotspur Way.
The early days are likely to be more fitness based in the gym, with the players’ levels being tested. If Pochettino and his trio of coaches choose to return on July 2, their first day is likely to be spent planning for the weeks ahead.
Meetings will be held with the returning players in the first team to discuss the season ahead and Pochettino will talk to academy head John McDermott to decide which of the development squad youngsters will be given the chance to make up the numbers in training with the World Cup stars absent.
Once the players begin their outdoor training then Pochettino and his coaches will start to employ their tough pre-season regime, imprinting the coming season’s philosophy on the team and integrating any new stars into the squad.
(football.london)