As quoted by Football London, Hugo Lloris has been talking about the start of Ryan Mason’s managerial career at Tottenham.
The 29-year-old became the youngest man to ever manage a Premier League game earlier this week, and his second match is of course the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.
It would be easy to write Mason’s credentials off solely due to his age, but Lloris thinks that the young manager could end up surprising a few people.
“You would be surprised, you would be surprised. He’s ready. He knows exactly what to say to the players,” said the Frenchman.
“He’s got the proximity to the players that’s helping him. Then it’s about the [team] leaders as well to show their leadership, but he’s got a real philosophy of football. It will surprise you.”
“Honestly if the club gives him this responsibility it’s because he’s got the confidence of people at the club. He’s got the club DNA.
“Then he’s got the football approach he tried to bring to the team. I think in the second half [against Southampton], we saw a bit his way and his approach.”
“Everything has happened so quick. We only had two days to prepare for the game against Southampton and now it’s going to be a short time to the final, but even with a short time, he gave us a team structure, a shape,” said the goalkeeper.
“He gave us his football approach. To be honest, he’s 29-years-old but he shows more maturity than that, and confidence.
“He transmits this good energy to the players. To be honest, I think the players have more responsibility than before and we have to perform better and better to finish as strongly as we can.”
Lloris knows what a good manager looks like, he is a World Cup winner after all, and if he thinks Mason is up to the task, we’ll have to take his word for it.
It seems as though Mason could be a real ace up Tottenham’s sleeve. Teams may end up underestimating the youthful coach, but Lloris seems to think that he’s got all the tools to be a success.
It remains to be seen how Mason gets on at Spurs, but if he does well, perhaps one day he could be the London club’s permanent gaffer.
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