Tottenham manager has turned Harry Kane’s career around.
When Pochettino took over, Kane had barely played for the first team, and had been out on loan at four different clubs.
Pochettino feared that Kane had already picked up bad habits, and it may not be possible to correct them.
Kane has since gone on to prove this wrong spectacularly, winning the last two Premier League golden boots in succession.
Pochettino said: “It was a tough few months because we didn’t click initially. He was out of form and, at 21, had the habits of a player in his thirties, the type who has been around the block.
“I had several stern conversations with Harry in which I had to make him understand that he had to get ready for whenever the opportunity might arise.”
The chats paid off, with Kane, now 24, giving absolutely everything to the cause, and becoming Tottenham’s clear cut first choice striker.
Tomorrow evening he goes into a Champions League clash with Real Madrid for Spurs as their man of the moment, with the Spanish side only dreaming they could sign him.
It is quite a turnaround, and while Kane deserves credit for the way he has kicked on, Pochettino’s faith and refusal to discard him initially appear to be the key to the striker’s stratospheric rise.
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