- Jan 9, 2014
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After three summer transfer windows with Pochettino at the club, it’s time for an overall recap. Total players in:
Vorm
Lopez
Davies
Dier
Yedlin
Fazio
Wimmer
Alderweireld
Trippier
Stambouli
Wanyama
Sissoko
Dele
N’Jie
N’Koudou
Son
Janssen
Before this TW, I largely anticipated 4-5 signings, and huge improvements on the overall match day squad of 18 players (as opposed to direct improvements on the starting 11). My expectations were spot on from an overall perspective.
However, throughout the window, I think the majority of SC posters had at least one signing they couldn’t quite get on board with, although we largely disagreed on which was that strange signing. Somebody wouldn’t want Wanyama (a signing I think was logical and rational), others find Sissoko strange (I sure do), and I’m not sure if anybody can say they know what to expect from N’Koudou. Janssen I think largely is accepted by now, but I’m certain there are one or two still choosing not to vocalise their scepticism.
One recurring topic throughout the summer was whether Pochettino deserves complete and utter trust in transfers, and that we as fans should blindly accept his choices, or whether there is still room for healthy uncertainty in this specific aspect of his reign.
I think the easiest answer is in looking at all signings under Pochettino. Since he came to Spurs, 17 senior players are signed. (Let us leave out for now which individual scout/coach probably was the most responsible for each signing, because I don’t think we can establish that player by player with any certainty).
Of said 17 signings, 4 are sold or on loan. Three were shipped out after only 12 months with the club. But more of a warning sign is that after 3 summers, at this specific point in time, only 2 players are absolutely part of the starting 11, and an additional 3 players are certainly in the mix for a starting 11 position. (Maybe Sissoko will be to, that remains to be seen IMO).
To sum up, 4 have left the club in some capacity, 5 are proven starting 11 calibre, and 8 play a bits-and-parts role in come capacity.
At this point, I think it is also relevant to look at youth players and academy graduates. This was supposedly a Pochettino forte when he signed for Spurs, and expectations were high when it came to inclusions of various academy household names in the senior squad. To this day, Pochettino has not advanced any academy graduate to become a given member of the match day squad. Hence, we cannot explain the above break down of squad status of new signings with extensive use of graduates.
I think there can be no doubt what so ever that we were in absolute need for a broader range of more reliable squad players back when Pochettino started. And he has navigated that challenge nicely, and we do have a more solid squad. But, I will maintain that thus far, Pochettino has not succeeded as well in coaching academy graduates and new signings alike into becoming fierce competitors for a slot in the starting line up. Reputedly, he has a coaching gene and an eye for developing players. IMO, I think he has an ability to develop certain kind of players, but he certainly has no universal coaching ability to improve any given player. (I’m still talking subjectively, but I see little improvement under Pochettino in players like Eriksen, Chadli Bentaleb, Mason (three of which have left).
I am certain that for the 2016/2017 season, this ability fans speak of to coach and develop players must come fully into fruition. I think Pochettino cannot fail at all in this aspect, or we will experience an underwhelming season. The summer window is shut, (stating the obvious) and we can’t improve more in that way. The only way we now can move forward towards success is if Pochettino’s coaching and development skills become far more hit, with no room for miss. Nail that, and we have a great season ahead. Keep almost hitting the nail, but not quite, with several players, and this will be a long and boring season, even with CL.
To get back to the question, must we as fans fully and utterly trust signings under Pochettino? Some have called for the results on the pitch being taken into account, and based on those, we should trust Pochettino has been the argument. To me, as long as there is no trophy won, not even a minor one, I don’t think the results alone can serve as only foundation of trust in the transfer market.
Moving forward, Pochettino must short term fully blossom into a coaching, developing manager, and long term hone his transfer approach even more. Only then will it make sense to call for giving him unconditional trust in transfer activities.
Vorm
Lopez
Davies
Dier
Yedlin
Fazio
Wimmer
Alderweireld
Trippier
Stambouli
Wanyama
Sissoko
Dele
N’Jie
N’Koudou
Son
Janssen
Before this TW, I largely anticipated 4-5 signings, and huge improvements on the overall match day squad of 18 players (as opposed to direct improvements on the starting 11). My expectations were spot on from an overall perspective.
However, throughout the window, I think the majority of SC posters had at least one signing they couldn’t quite get on board with, although we largely disagreed on which was that strange signing. Somebody wouldn’t want Wanyama (a signing I think was logical and rational), others find Sissoko strange (I sure do), and I’m not sure if anybody can say they know what to expect from N’Koudou. Janssen I think largely is accepted by now, but I’m certain there are one or two still choosing not to vocalise their scepticism.
One recurring topic throughout the summer was whether Pochettino deserves complete and utter trust in transfers, and that we as fans should blindly accept his choices, or whether there is still room for healthy uncertainty in this specific aspect of his reign.
I think the easiest answer is in looking at all signings under Pochettino. Since he came to Spurs, 17 senior players are signed. (Let us leave out for now which individual scout/coach probably was the most responsible for each signing, because I don’t think we can establish that player by player with any certainty).
Of said 17 signings, 4 are sold or on loan. Three were shipped out after only 12 months with the club. But more of a warning sign is that after 3 summers, at this specific point in time, only 2 players are absolutely part of the starting 11, and an additional 3 players are certainly in the mix for a starting 11 position. (Maybe Sissoko will be to, that remains to be seen IMO).
To sum up, 4 have left the club in some capacity, 5 are proven starting 11 calibre, and 8 play a bits-and-parts role in come capacity.
At this point, I think it is also relevant to look at youth players and academy graduates. This was supposedly a Pochettino forte when he signed for Spurs, and expectations were high when it came to inclusions of various academy household names in the senior squad. To this day, Pochettino has not advanced any academy graduate to become a given member of the match day squad. Hence, we cannot explain the above break down of squad status of new signings with extensive use of graduates.
I think there can be no doubt what so ever that we were in absolute need for a broader range of more reliable squad players back when Pochettino started. And he has navigated that challenge nicely, and we do have a more solid squad. But, I will maintain that thus far, Pochettino has not succeeded as well in coaching academy graduates and new signings alike into becoming fierce competitors for a slot in the starting line up. Reputedly, he has a coaching gene and an eye for developing players. IMO, I think he has an ability to develop certain kind of players, but he certainly has no universal coaching ability to improve any given player. (I’m still talking subjectively, but I see little improvement under Pochettino in players like Eriksen, Chadli Bentaleb, Mason (three of which have left).
I am certain that for the 2016/2017 season, this ability fans speak of to coach and develop players must come fully into fruition. I think Pochettino cannot fail at all in this aspect, or we will experience an underwhelming season. The summer window is shut, (stating the obvious) and we can’t improve more in that way. The only way we now can move forward towards success is if Pochettino’s coaching and development skills become far more hit, with no room for miss. Nail that, and we have a great season ahead. Keep almost hitting the nail, but not quite, with several players, and this will be a long and boring season, even with CL.
To get back to the question, must we as fans fully and utterly trust signings under Pochettino? Some have called for the results on the pitch being taken into account, and based on those, we should trust Pochettino has been the argument. To me, as long as there is no trophy won, not even a minor one, I don’t think the results alone can serve as only foundation of trust in the transfer market.
Moving forward, Pochettino must short term fully blossom into a coaching, developing manager, and long term hone his transfer approach even more. Only then will it make sense to call for giving him unconditional trust in transfer activities.