Thursday 12 May 2016 12:27, UK
Tottenham may have fallen short in the Premier League title race but their outstanding season has provided plenty of reasons for optimism.
Mauricio Pochettino has committed his future to the club by agreeing a new long-term contract, but what must he do to keep them challenging for major honours over the next five years?
Here, we look at some of the areas for the Argentine to address…
Bring through the next youngsters
Tottenham's title challenge was all the more impressive considering their squad is the youngest in the Premier League. Pochettino's hungry, dynamic group does not feature a single outfield player over the age of 30, and in Dele Alli and Harry Kane they possess two of the brightest young stars in Europe.
Pochettino places huge emphasis on youth development, and he will be expected to continue in the same vein in the years ahead. Indeed, the Spurs boss has given chances to teenager Josh Onomah and 20-year-old Harry Winks this season, and there are high hopes for Alex Pritchard and Cameron Carter-Vickers, among others.
Tottenham's high-intensity playing style demands peak physical fitness and youthful determination, so Pochettino needs to establish a consistent production line for the future.
Strengthen the squad
At the same time as continuing his youth policy, Pochettino will need to supplement his squad with more experienced reinforcements in order to maintain their place among the elite.
Pochettino hopes his new contract will help the process. "I think it is important for the players, and the potential players that will come, that they don't hear rumours about whether I will be here or not," he said. "We are ready to compete in the market and try to add the players that can help us in the future."
One of the most obvious areas in need of strengthening is up front. Kane's status as Tottenham's first-choice striker is not up for questioning, but their only back-up option is currently Heung-Min Son, who has scored just seven goals in 38 appearances in his first campaign in England.
Spurs have been fortunate that Kane has stayed injury-free and started every one of their Premier League games this season, but they can't afford to take the same gamble in the years ahead.
They are also light on cover for Eric Dier in defensive midfield. Ryan Mason and Tom Carroll tend to deputise in the 21-year-old's absence, but Spurs have only won two of the 11 games in which one of that duo has started this season. With Nabil Bentaleb also out of favour, the need for added support is obvious.
Adjust to Champions League football
The financial rewards of Champions League qualification will make things easier for Spurs when it comes to transfer activity, but juggling Europe's elite club competition with their domestic commitments will heighten the need to add depth to their squad.
Pochettino prioritised Tottenham's Premier League title challenge by fielding a weakened team in their Europa League last-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund this season, but there's little chance he would consider a similar approach if they reach the same stage of the Champions League.
Added strength in depth is therefore a priority to ensure Spurs can challenge on both fronts. Their only previous experience of the Champions League came with a run to the quarter-final in 2010/11 under Harry Redknapp. Pochettino's task is to equip them for a longer stay. "Our aim is to arrive in the new stadium at the top and playing in the Champions League," he said last week.
Manage transition to new stadium
Pochettino will still have three years to run on his contract when Tottenham move into their new 61,000 seater stadium at the start of the 2018/19 season, and the transition promises to be one of his biggest challenges.
The Argentine is aware that Spurs can ill-afford to miss out on the financial rewards of Champions League football given the huge expenditure on their new home, and he only needs to look across at their north London neighbours for a reminder of how funding a new stadium can restrict transfer spending.
Pochettino will be hoping that his youthful side will be entering its prime when Spurs make the move to their new home, which brings us to the last point…
Keep hold of key players
Tottenham's star players are certain to attract external interest in the years ahead, with the likes of Kane and Hugo Lloris already routinely linked to some of Europe's biggest clubs. Pochettino will need keep them happy and fend off circling vultures.
The Argentine will fancy his chances of doing just that. Pochettino has fostered a strong team spirit at Spurs over the course of his first two seasons at the helm, and the club have also succeeded in tying down their most valuable players.
Alli extended his contract at Spurs to 2021 just a few months after arriving from MK Dons, while Kane is committed until 2020. The likes of Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier also have four years left to run on their current contracts, and the only first team player whose deal is set to expire before 2018 is Tom Carroll.
With Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy's reputation as a notoriously tough negotiator, Pochettino will be confident of keeping the key members of his squad together.
