Mauricio Pochettino has insisted it was Hugo Lloris who motivated his teammates at half-time against Ajax – not Harry Kane.
After Wednesday’s incredible comeback in Amsterdam, Kieran Trippier revealed Harry Kane came down to the dressing room at half-time when Tottenham were trailing 3-0 in the tie.
Lucas Moura’s extraordinary hat-trick after the break sent Spurs through to the Champions League final, and Kane received praise for his half-time intervention.
However, Pochettino claims he does not remember Kane talking to his teammates. Rather, captain Lloris’ words were still ringing around the manager’s head as the players headed back out.
“It surprised me. Listen to Trippier – he didn’t say Harry was talking. It wasn’t a team talk [from Harry]. He was there like Davinson Sanchez or another player not involved,” Pochettino said in his press conference on Friday (via Football London).
“Trippier said ‘his presence’. Harry was there and translated confidence and of course emotion. But to be honest, I was talking. It wasn’t a moment to talk too much. And in the end who lifted them before they went on the pitch was our captain, Hugo Lloris.
“I remember the words of Hugo Lloris as I was leaving the dressing room. He was shouting, ‘We are close, we need to score one goal more, never give up and try because the moment we score we’re going to be in the tie.'”
Regardless of who said what at half-time, it’s great to know Tottenham have two ultimate leaders in the dressing room.
It’s important to remember Lloris is a World Cup-winning captain, and his influence means a lot to the team’s mentality.
What’s more, Kane’s mere presence clearly has an effect on the players in the dressing room, which is just one reason why the striker is so important to the club.
