Mauricio Pochettino has highlighted the importance of the English core at Tottenham Hotspur and feels that he has a responsibility to help bring homegrown players through at White Hart Lane.
Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Danny Rose and Kyle Walker have all played prominent roles in Spurs’s Premier League title charge, and are poised to do so for England at Euro 2016 this summer.
Foreign coaches often bring with them foreign players, but Argentine Pochettino has a sense of duty to the country of his employment, and an understanding of the benefits of embracing the “English culture”.
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Sky Sports quote him as saying: “I think it’s important. We are an English club and, for me, it’s important to provide a good balance between the player and to keep the culture. We are living in England.
“English culture is important and you can’t be in an English club using Argentinian culture, or French, Italian, or whatever.
“I was in Spain [as a player and later coach of Espanyol] and when I first arrived in Spain it was the same. I think it’s important to give the opportunity to the players from the nationality of the club.
“I think it’s about identity and it’s my responsibility as a manager to give the players the opportunity. I believe in all of the players.
“I don’t look at their passports before I play them, but it’s important if you’re in Italy, Spain, England or France, to show respect and to try to keep the identity of the club.
“It’s important for the foreign players who come here know that they have to integrate themselves in your culture, the English culture, and not the opposite way.”
The Daily Star reports that Pochettino could add another English player to his ranks at the end of the season as Tottenham make another attempt to sign Saido Berahino from West Bromwich Albion.
According to the Daily Star, Spurs had four bids rejected for the 22-year-old striker last summer but Pochettino is desperate to bring him to North London and will make another swoop for him.
Berahino was born in Burundi, but has been capped for England at every youth level from the U16s to U21s, for whom he has 10 goals in 11 caps, and has been called up to the senior squad once.
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