Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has revealed his ambition to coach the England national team in the future.
Pochettino, who has led Spurs to top-three finishes in the Premier League in each of the last two campaigns, has been working in English football since 2013.
And the Argentinian, formerly in charge of Southampton, has stated that managing at international level is one of his career goals, with England squads in recent years featuring several faces to have worked under Pochettino.
“If I were to be an international manager one day, I’d relish the opportunity to coach the England national team,” Pochettino says in new book ‘A Brave New World’, serialised in the Daily Mail.
“I’ve heard that I’ve been considered for the job before, but I don’t know if there was any truth in it. I’d be reunited with loads of familiar faces: Harry Kane, Danny Rose, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Adam Lallana.
“Of the last 21 England debutants, 17 have played under me – there’s also the likes of Rickie Lambert, Jay Rodriguez, Calum Chambers, Nathaniel Clyne, Luke Shaw and Ryan Mason. In the last four-and-a-half seasons, 11 regulars in the England squad made their international debuts under my stewardship.”
Pochettino, who has a contract tying him to Tottenham to 2021, explained an incident with Lallana at Southampton soon after his arrival gave him an insight into the English style of play.
“I remember once telling Adam Lallana how taken aback I was when I first witnessed the mentality of English players up close – their enthusiasm in training, the sparks that fly in 50-50 challenges,” he added.
“Lallana himself was once so angry with a decision during a training match that he blew his top and swore at [coach] Miki D’Agostino. He subsequently apologised, but I thought to myself, ‘I want guys like that in my team’.
“The English are brave, honest and aggressive – and the good ones want to add to their game.”
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