Sunday 1 April 2018 20:27, UK
Gary Neville says Mauricio Pochettino is doing a good job at Tottenham even if he has no trophy to show for it yet.
Tottenham are in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League again after a 3-1 victory at Chelsea on Super Sunday, their first win at Stamford Bridge since 1990.
Pochettino is often criticised for not yet winning a trophy at Tottenham, but Neville recognises the progress the club has made under the Argentine.
He said on the Gary Neville Podcast: "It's a great day for Tottenham. When I look at the job Pochettino is doing, and the one Jurgen Klopp is doing at Liverpool, where they haven't won a trophy in a few years, I couldn't sit here and say they are doing bad jobs. I think they're doing good jobs.
"They're getting Champions League, and there's good progression at the clubs. You think about Liverpool, who had only qualified for the Champions League twice in seven seasons before Klopp; back-to-back qualifications.
"Tottenham, finishing in positions they have never done in the Premier League, finishing in the Champions League places, winning here at places like Chelsea, in a big game, doing well.
"Yes, there's a huge game against Man Utd coming up in the FA Cup in two weeks, which people will judge more than today.
"But for the club, with the new stadium being built, they know how important it is for them to get Champions League football next season, to retain players, and obviously for the economics."
With Spurs 1-0 down going into half-time before Christian Eriksen's late equaliser, Neville recognised that the goal did not 'con' Pochettino into thinking his side were playing well.
Neville noted how the manager changed the four-pronged attack around to give them more impetus going forward.
"I said just after half-time that Mauricio Pochettino wasn't conned by that goal, he hardly celebrated, and he knew it needed to change, and it was a good change.
"Eriksen went from left to centre, Lamela went from right to centre-forward, Alli went from No 10 to left, and Son went from central forward to right. They all changed positions.
"It got Eriksen into his position, but if you think about the way the second goal came, Dele Alli came and made that run from in-behind on the left, which they hadn't had before.
"I think Spurs are at their best when they have runs past Harry Kane, with Son and Alli making the runs past. The first half, they weren't there, trying to play passes into pockets. It was fussy."
