Tottenham Hotspur striker Fernando Llorente comments on Mauricio Pochettino

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Llorente has largely been a bit-part player at Spurs but he still speaks very highly of Pochettino and his methods.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Fernando Llorente has given an insight into what makes Mauricio Pochettino such a special manager in comments that every prospective player seeking to join a Premier League club should take heed of.

The Spaniard has largely been a fringe player at Spurs since his 2017 move from Swansea City, with just 63 appearances in all competitions for the club under his belt, according to Transfermarkt.

This season has not been much different for Llorente who, despite having got more game time in the wake of Harry Kane’s injury problems, he still has only made five Premier League starts and one Champions League start (Transfermarkt), and on top of that, he is out of contract at the end of the season.

Nevertheless, two things stand out regarding the 34-year-old this season – the first is that he has stepped up to the plate when called upon, as with Kane’s spell on the sidelines in the winter, and the second is his attitude towards Pochettino.

“He’s a manager who gives a lot of freedom to his players in order to get the best out of them,” Llorente told Sky Sports News. “He’s not the kind of manager who says, ‘You have to do this, this and this.’ He shows you that he trusts you and he doesn’t kick you off the team if you mess up or you do something bad.

“That mentality is something he drums into us. He knows how to motivate us and get the best out of us. It’s the way he has of managing the group, planning the training sessions and making sure we are all happy.”

That Llorente is match sharp and motivated when called upon despite not getting much game time and with his contract up in the summer – which could potentially demotivate or worry some players – is testament to how the backroom staff are keeping the players, even the fringe ones, ticking along.

That he continues to speak highly of Poch despite his lack of game time and uncertain future also goes a long way towards highlighting what a great man manager the Argentine is, therefore it should inspire prospective players to choose Tottenham and their setup ahead of other clubs.