Tottenham Hotspur’s boss played with the Romanian at Espanyol.
Tottenham Hotspur took on Middlesbrough at the weekend, winning 1-0 courtesy of a Harry Kane penalty.
The result was fair based on the balance of play, but it was another test for Mauricio Pochettino’s men to overcome.
They also did so in front of one of the Argentine’s old friends. Former Romanian international striker Florin Raducioiu was in attendance at the game by special request of the Spurs boss.
Florin Raducioiu at West Ham
The 46-year-old, who spent one season at West Ham United in his impressive career, also spent two spells in La Liga with Espanyol. He played alongside Pochettino during that time and he had this to say to Adevarul in Romania about Pochettino and his Spurs team:
“I’m so glad I accepted his invitation Mauri and I could not sit through a match more than interesting.
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“I enjoyed my former colleague victory at Espanyol. And that Spurs is in 2nd place in the Premier League once again shows his class as a manager.”
Raducioiu, who scored 21 goals for the Romanian national team in 40 caps, is now the director of the Atletico Madrid Academy Bucharest in the Romanian capital and is now hopeful of producing some of Romania’s next top talent.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
He also spoke of his hope to hopefully work with Spurs on youth projects in the future:
“We remembered many memories from our playing career, I spoke of the work that Mauricio doing very well at Tottenham, but also about the Bucharest Academy project that I coordinate.
“We keep in touch and try, if possible, to work at the junior level.”
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Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping to continue their winning ways in the months to come as they fight for the Premier League title. Pochettino will certainly hope to continue impressing his old pals.
If he can also work out a way to bring together a strong relationship between the Romanian academy and that at Spurs, then the club can hopefully benefit.
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