Mauricio Pochettino’s sacking at Tottenham Hotspur brings the curtain down on our best manager and team of the Premier League era.
While the Argentine’s departure is tinged with sadness, for those fans who have a heart at least, there is of course the huge element of excitement which follows change wherever it goes, and especially when that change comes in the shape of Jose Mourinho.
Those mixed emotions will be echoed within the squad. Some players will be fearful of post-Poch life; some will be looking forward to a fresh start.
Here are three players who may benefit the most from Mourinho’s arrival…
MORE: Mourinho Arrival Demands A Mentality Reboot For Some Fans
Eric Dier
It has been a difficult 18 months for Dier. Hampered by injuries and illness, the once-indispendable utility-man has been lost in the background.
Moussa Sissoko and Harry Winks leaped above him in the midfield pecking order and was even put up for sale by Pochettino, according to The Times.
However, The Telegraph report that the England international is likely to be a central figure under Mourinho, identifying him alongside Harry Kane as one of the players that ‘The Special One’ has particular admiration for. Dier was the subject of interest from Mourinho’s Manchester United in 2016.
Having the Dier of a couple of seasons ago would be like having a new signing. It’s a cliche, but it’s true. And Mourinho can make that happen.
Lucas Moura
There is a feeling among a healthy proportion of the fanbase that Lucas Moura never really got a fair crack under Pochettino. He’d only ever be a game away from being dropped, and appeared last resort off the bench.
The architecht of the finest moment of the Pochettino era, Lucas seemed to be fighting an impossible battle to permanently climb the pecking order above either Son Heung-min, Dele Alli, Erik Lamela or Christian Eriksen.
Pochettino did play favourites and Lucas wasn’t one of them. That he was not picked to start the Champions League final was a massive mistake.
I’m not convinced that Lucas is a Mourinho-type player. There are some elements to his game which the Portuguese will like and some not. But if he does perform, he will play. He won’t be blocked by Pochettino politics.
Kyle Walker-Peters
This was supposed to be the season that Walker-Peters made his first-team breakthrough but he’s gone missing since sustaining an early-season injury.
Instead we have had to endure calamity after calamity from Serge Aurier with seemingly no repercussions on his starting position at right-back.
It became clear that, despite signing a new long-term contract in December 2018, Walker-Peters did not have the trust of Pochettino. It may be that he is not ready for the Premier League, but now we will get a second opinion.
Mourinho won’t ignore Aurier’s track record so Walker-Peters may get the opportunity to prove himself before the January transfer window comes.