Alli: Pochettino is great for English football

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has voiced his admiration for Mauricio Pochettino and believes the Spurs coach is great for English football.

English youngsters such as Eric Dier, Ryan Mason and Harry Kane have all broken into the England set-up after being given a chance to prove their worth at club level by Pochettino and Alli – who netted his first international goal on Tuesday – is grateful for the faith shown in him by the 43-year-old.

“He’s a great manager and he puts a lot of trust in young English players. It’s a great thing for English football. It’s a great platform for the club and it shows what we’re about,” Alli was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

“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.”

Alli, 19, scored a stunning goal against France at Wembley to cap a remarkable rise to the top, having been playing in League One for MK Dons last season, but he is not getting carried away.

He added: “It’s been a crazy start to the season and it’s all happened really quickly. I’ve got a lot of people to thank for that. I never really started thinking about England. I knew if I played well for my club then the England opportunity would come, and thankfully it has.

“But my main focus was at the club and it’s a proud moment to represent my country.”