Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend took to social media to defend his former boss Mauricio Pochettino after Darren Bent claimed the 48-year-old is not a world-class manager.
Townsend worked with Pochettino during the Argentine’s first few years at Tottenham, but the Englishman was largely not in the plans of the former Southampton manager, with the winger having made just 17 Premier League appearances in the 2014/15 campaign (Sofascore).
The 29-year-old’s time at Tottenham working under Pochettino was fractured, with the Argentine having suggested that Townsend lacked ‘discipline’ after he engaged in an altercation with Spurs’ fitness coach during a 3-1 win against Aston Villa in 2015. That saw him banished from their squad and he was soon shipped out to Newcastle United.
However, despite the pair having clashed at Tottenham, Townsend was still part of the revolution that Pochettino managed to inspire around the club. That eventually turned them into top four regulars and saw them even reach the Champions League final.
However, speaking to talkSPORT, Bent suggested that Pochettino is not among the very best managers in the world, even naming Brendan Rodgers and Mike Arteta as better coaches than the former Tottenham boss.
Townsend expressed his feelings on his personal Twitter account, making it clear that he strongly disagreed with the comments made by Bent about Pochettino.
@DarrenBent on the click bait this morning… either that or something stronger 🍷 🤦🏽♂️ https://t.co/bqUuP4f0nO
— Andros Townsend (@andros_townsend) November 3, 2020
Read Crystal Palace verdict
Townsend’s defence of Pochettino is very interesting considering the history between the pair, but it perhaps represents the maturity that the 29-year-old has managed to develop during his spell at Crystal Palace, where he has become a pivotal part of Roy Hodgson’s squad.
Working under Pochettino is sure to have benefitted the winger and his experiences at Spurs would have been a reminder for him that, despite his talent, he needed to ensure his attitude was right to succeed in the Premier League and become a key part of a top-flight squad.
The 29-year-old’s comments reflect just how highly Pochettino is regarded by players he has coached, and suggests that the former Tottenham manager should not be kept out of a top-level job for much longer.
