Former Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason has praised the impact Mauricio Pochettino made not only on his footballing career but on his life.
Mason made 70 appearances for Spurs, mostly under Pochettino’s management, before joining Hull City in 2016.
The 26-year-old was forced to retire earlier this year following a head injury he suffered while playing for Hull against Chelsea.
Since his retirement, Pochettino has told Mason he will always have a home at Tottenham, leading to suggestions of a return to the club in a coaching role.
For now, Mason has been enjoying doing the rounds as a pundit, discussing his career, his future plans and the game’s current affairs.
He recently appeared on the Soccer AM podcast and was asked about the impact Pochettino made on him during their time together at Spurs.
“You love playing for him, you’d run through a brick wall for him because he’s a lovely man and a lovely human being,” said Mason.
“Don’t get me wrong I would never, ever cross him because his morals and values are so strong that if you went away from that it would be hard for him to forget it.
“But at the same time if you work hard, do what he says right and enjoy your football then he is unbelievable.
“Also when I say he changed my way of life, that way of stressing your brain I believe helped me recover from my injury because rather than feeling sorry for myself that experience of being strong mentally with him helped me to change my outlook.”
I certainly think it would be a good idea to bring Mason back to the club in a coaching capacity.
Having a figure who has risen through the ranks and played for Tottenham’s first team around the place could do wonders for the current youth players.
