MAD FOR IT
Gareth only landed dream job after FA checked he could handle mental stress
GARETH SOUTHGATE had to undergo tests to assess his mental strength before he was handed the job of England manager.
Southgate, 46, has signed a fouryear contract and such are the immense stresses and strains of the job that the FA wanted to make sure he could handle it.
“It’s about thinking correctly under pressure,” said FA chief executive Martin Glenn yesterday. “It’s really important for the England team and important for anyone in a high-pressure role.
“We had Gareth independently assessed for mental strengths and how he takes decisions. We had extensive background checks. We went through the psychological assessments together. That has given us an idea of what kind of support we need to put around Gareth.”
Southgate had a three-hour interview last week at St George’s Park and Glenn said: “It started off with a review of the last four games, asking ‘What have you learnt?’ – and there were some feisty opinions. It asked if Gareth’s powers of analysis stand up to scrutiny and what do we need to do to guarantee that England under Gareth can be as successful as possible.”
Manchester City just to get him off their books.
And he lags behind Jamie Vardy, who receives £120,000 a week from Leicester, and the £140,000-a-week Liverpool pay Daniel Sturridge.
Manchester United and Chelsea, alerted by a stalling of contract talks last month, would have been prepared to pay even more than that to land Kane, and that fact was not lost on Pochettino.
“If you ask him he is sure that it is not about money,” he said. “He loves Tottenham and he wants to stay here in this project.
“Why does he love Tottenham? Why do you love your wife and why do you love your dog or pet? There’s a special connection. For that, Harry is very special. He is special on the pitch and special off it.
“The club recognised the value and I congratulate Daniel, the chairman, too because it was very important for us to make it happen and he has done a very good job with Harry.”
Kane said it really was an affair of the heart as far as he was concerned. “Everyone knows how much I love this team and how I feel about this club and to sign another contract is a special feeling,” said the striker, who will soon be a father for the first time.
“We’ve got a great, young squad, the club are moving in the right direction and I had no hesitation in signing.
“The progression has been very quick. I first broke into the team, then scored in the Europa League, then started scoring in the Premier League, in big games, a cup final, new contracts – a lot has happened. It has been a bit of a whirlwind.
“Even now, I’ve signed a new contract and it’s onto the next thing, working hard and trying to get better. The next step for us is to start winning trophies and being in those high-pressure games.”
Kane is on course to become even more of a modern-day rarity – the one-club Premier League man in the mould of Steven Gerrard and John Terry.
“Why not?” said Pochettino. “One day he could be this type of player for us.
“He is English and one of the best strikers in the world, and teams not only in England but in Europe have seen him and been following him and thinking there would be a possibility one day to take Harry. But Harry is very happy here and one more time he has shown his commitment to the club and that is fantastic.”
Pochettino hopes keeper Hugo Lloris and centre-back Jan Vertonghen will follow the example of Kane as well as Dele Alli, Kyle Walker and Eric Dier, who all signed new deals in September.
“Maybe in the next few days there will be more news but I think it is not Hugo,” he said. “Hugo is a very ambitious player but he is very happy here.”
Pochettino said winger Erik Lamela remains sidelined by a hip problem after more than a month out.
“We are a bit worried about his situation,” he said. “His evolution is not how we expected. We need to give him more time to recover.”
Left-back Ben Davies is also out but Toby Alderweireld, injured since October 15, may be back as Spurs host Swansea tomorrow.
Many sides in Europe want him