The Argentine has been in charge of Tottenham Hotspur for nearly three years.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino has worked wonders during his time in charge at Spurs, and has turned a squad of underperformers into perennial title challengers.
He has made some smart acquisitions along the way, combined with his excellent judgement in bringing through some exciting youngsters.
The team he picked for his first competitive match in charge of Tottenham goes to show just how far they have come as a club.
Here’s the starting line-up the Argentine went with on August 16th 2014, away at West Ham United…
Hugo Lloris:
The French number 1 remains firmly first-choice at Spurs, and the 30-year-old is widely considered as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
Kyle Naughton:
The 28-year-old was sold to Swansea City for £5 million just five months after Pochettino’s debut game in charge of Tottenham, and has gone on to be a permanent fixture in the Welsh outfit’s side, making 70 appearances for them.
Younes Kaboul:
Younes Kaboul
The 31-year-old centre-back joined Sunderland the following summer, before moving back down south to Watford in the summer of 2016. He has never really fulfilled his potential after being touted as one of France’s most exiting young defenders when he moved to Spurs way back in 2007.
Eric Dier:
The England international played as a central defender against the Hammers on the opening day of the season 2014/5 campaign, but has gone on to showcase his versatility ever since. He remains with the Lilywhites and is an extremely important member of Pochettino’s squad.
Danny Rose:
The 26-year-old full-back is another of the Tottenham side that Pochettino named for his debut game in charge who is still at the club.
He has been linked with a summer exit, however. He has been absent from action since January with a serious injury, and is set to miss the start of next season.
Nabil Bentaleb:
Despite being incredibly talented, he never really got the opportunity to prove his true worth at Spurs, and has spent this season on loan in the Bundesliga with Schalke.
The 22-year-old is set to make that move permanent in the summer, according to BBC Sport, and will surely be considered as one that got away from Spurs.
Etienne Capoue:
The 28-year-old Frenchman was one of the players signed by Andre Villas-Boas in 2013 with the Gareth Bale money, but failed to make an impact at White Hart Lane, and was subsequently shipped out to Watford in 2015.
He remains at Vicarage Road, and has vastly improved since joining the Hornets.
Christian Eriksen:
Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen
The Dane remains at the forefront the Tottenham team, with he 25-year-old now being considered as one of Pochettino’s most important players.
Talk of a move to one of Europe’s elite clubs continues to fester, however, and Spurs will have to dig their heels in and ensure they keep Eriksen, if they are to continue to make progress as a club.
Erik Lamela:
The Argentine was another of Villas-Boas’ big money signings in 2013 who failed to live up to high expectations.
He remains at Spurs, but is in the midst of an ongoing injury problem which the club are finding hard to diagnose.
His future at Tottenham is uncertain to say the least.
Aaron Lennon:
The speedy winger left Tottenham to join Everton on loan in February 2015, before making the permanent switch the following summer.
His recent personal problems have been well documented, and everyone involved in the game remains firmly behind the 30-year-old as he continues his recovery.
Emmanuel Adebayor:
One of the most mercurial talents in the game, the Togolese often frustrated fans with his lackadaisical style. He was capable of producing brilliance, but Pochettino grew tired of his lazy attitude and shipped him on to Crystal Palace in 2016.
He si now plying his trade in Turkey with Istanbul Basaksehir.
Emmanuel Adebayor
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