Dele Alli: Why Pochettino's Pups are shining on the international stage

Dele Alli celebrates scoring England opening goal in the 2-0 win against France at Wembley

FORGET Fergie's Fledglings. England's future could be about to be built around Pochettino's Pups. And like young English sheepdogs, these boys run and run and run.

 

Eric Dier and Dele Alli were singled out for praise by Roy Hodgson after the last international double header. The debut of the former against Spain completed an entire outfield team of players who have come out from under the wing of former Southampton and current Tottenham manager to take their international bow with England in the space of just 27 months.

While he was instrumental in their development, Calum Chambers and Nathan Clyne actually made their England debuts a couple of months after Pochettino left St Mary's Stadium.

But the Argentine's pedigree litter of eight players that he has actually seen all the way onto the international stage means that Sir Alex Ferguson - whose Fledlings formed the basis of England's 'golden generation' - is the only Premier League manager to have done more for the Three Lions' cause over the years.

Alli, still only 19, but rightly named the man-of-the-match for his 25 yard opener and involvement in Wayne Rooney's second, believes it is the confidence that Pochettino has in his young prodigies that translates itself to the players themselves.

 

"Pochettino's a great manager and he puts a lot of trust in young English players," Alli said. "It's a great thing for English football. It's a great platform for the club and it shows what we're about.

"He's a great guy, really passionate, and he cares about the players. If you've got any problems he's always there for you. I can already tell that from the short time I've been there. He puts a lot of trust into youngsters which is obviously really good for me.

"So I just like to go out there and express myself. I've always done that since I was a young lad and the Roy Hodgson told me before the France game just to play like you have been doing at Tottenham and express yourself. I had the licence to move forward and attack and I did that."

Alli is a youngster with so little regard for reputations that he nutmegged Luka Modric in a pre-season friendly and got called a "little b****r" in return.

"It was a great moment," he recalled. "It was a natural instinct: I didn't think too much about it and I'm happy it came off." But it is club-and-country midfield team-mate Dier who really spells out the "no fear" philosophy at White Hart Lane.

 



Tottenham's Alli and Eric Dier(pictured) were singled out for praise by Roy Hodgson



"I think maybe Pochettino just doesn't have the fear that other managers have in giving people a chance, you know?" he said.

"I think if we then didn't take our chance, then we probably wouldn't be where we are now. He has no fear in giving you a chance, but then it is obviously up to the player to take it.

"If that causes selection problems then I am sure that's what the England manager wants. Hopefully we have given him some, and us young lads have just got to keep pushing.

"I am sure more experienced players will be worried about that and they'll keep pushing back. It is just a matter of keep going and see what happens." And nobody should underestimate how long Tottenham players keep on going. Pochettino has not had them running over hot coals as he did with his players at Southampton - yet.

But the double sessions in the summer have made Spurs the most energetic team in the Premier League - with former school 800m champion Alli leading the way.

 

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has done a lot for England's international cause

"I won a few of the things among the lads, yes," he said. "I had a short summer when I came back to Tottenham but the sports fitness staff came back early and helped me to work on my fitness so thankfully I was ready.

"Long distance running I did quite well in. I've still got a lot to learn and improve on, but cardio comes naturally to me and I was able to show that in pre-season. I used to run 800 metres for the school."

Pochettino was at Wembley to watch his Pups in action against France, a personal guest of Hodgson having formed an association with the England football hierarchy that seemed unlikely when Michael Owen was tumbling over his out-stretched leg in a 2002 World Cup group game against Argentina in Sapporo.

"We are delighted that Tottenham have gone down this route and Pochettino in particular of giving players he thinks have quality a chance," Hodgson said. "Tottenham is a team that is interesting for me to watch because when I go there I get to see sometimes as many as five Englishmen.

"He has shown his faith in them and it is perfect for us because it means if we like them as well we can show our faith in them and that is exactly how it has been."