Mauricio Pochettino has lifted the lid on how he helped Harry Kane stamp out his 'bad habits' at Tottenham, setting the striker on a path to becoming one of the world's best forwards. The Argentine manager, who now coaches the United States national team, revealed that Kane was not even close to the first team when he replaced Tim Sherwood in 2014.
Pochettino's Impact on Kane
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Pochettino explained: "When Tim Sherwood left the club and we arrived, I think Harry Kane was the third or the fourth striker. When we started to work with Harry, we saw that his mindset was determined to be successful. It's true he didn't have the best habits, but after we had a talk with him, he was very intelligent and was quick to change those habits (training, food etc)."
Pochettino implemented a new training schedule that transformed Kane's career. The striker went on to become Tottenham's record goalscorer with 280 goals in all competitions, and he has also overtaken Wayne Rooney as England's all-time leading marksman. This season, Kane has scored 54 goals in 46 appearances for Bayern Munich, helping them win back-to-back Bundesliga titles.
A Love for Tottenham and Premier League Ambitions
Pochettino, who will lead the USA at this summer's World Cup, expressed his desire to return to the Premier League one day. He said: "One day, yes, because I really like England. I think my human profile and coach profile match very well with the Premier League and with the culture, the idea, the idiosyncrasy, and the philosophy. I really love Tottenham. It's one of the most important parts of my life as a coach and in my personal life too."
He added: "I can talk from my experience in Tottenham - and what I can tell you for me it's one of the biggest clubs in the world. I think when we were competing there, we were competing with big people."
The full episode of Stick to Football is available on YouTube and all leading podcast platforms.
