The Tottenham manager has once again stressed his appreciation of the midfielder.
Tottenham’s Dele Alli and manager Mauricio Pochettino attempt to retrieve the ball off Liverpool’s Joel Matip
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has been speaking about star midfielder Dele Alli ahead of the club’s lunchtime match with Bournemouth on Saturday, in comments appearing on Sky Sports.
And he made his feelings on the former MK Dons starlet very clear, with the youngster having scored in the club’s last two Premier League matches.
“He is a special, a great guy,” Pochettino is quoted by Sky Sports when describing Alli. “We have a very good relationship. He is a very emotional person and I think we all love him.
Tottenham’s Dele Alli celebrates scoring
“There is nothing to say about Dele. I am more than happy with him. I think he works hard, he presses, he scores, he creates chances. I think it is unbelievable all the effort he makes in every game.”
Alli will be looking to continue his scoring record domestically after missing a big chance in the 0-0 draw away to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League in midweek.
But the England international shouldn’t be judged too harshly when it comes to finding the back of the net, according to his boss, who made it clear that people shouldn’t expect him to replicate the goalscoring of the world’s top forwards considering his position and playing style.
“He plays a lot, he brings to the team many positive things and if every chance that he has he will score, maybe we are talking about a Marco van Basten or a Gabriel Batistuta, a striker,” Pochettino said. “Not a midfielder offensive, a number 10.”
Tottenham’s Dele Alli applauds fans as he walks off to be substituted
Pochettino’s relationship with young players at Spurs and in fact at all his clubs is already one of the defining characteristics of his managerial approach. When Alli arrived at White Hart Lane it was clear the North Londoners were getting a special talent, but no one in there wildest dreams could have imagined just how seamlessly the midfielder would take to life at the top end of the Premier League. Undoubtedly, Pochettino has played his part in encouraging that form from the 20-year-old, and it is no surprise to hear the Argentine’s affectionate words on the reigning PFA Young Player of the Year.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino applauds the fans
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