Harry Kane reveals what he thinks of Mauricio Pochettino’s exit and Jose Mourinho’s first week in charge at Spurs ‘We wanted to win when Mauricio was here, and we want to win the same now the [new] gaffer’s here’

Harry Kane hopes Jose Mourinho will help him and his team-mates to finally win silverware at Tottenham, starting with the Champions League or FA Cup this season.

While Mauricio Pochettino secured four successive top-four finishes and led Spurs to the European final last term, the club’s trophy cabinet has remained empty since 2008.

The Argentinian’s successor Mourinho, on the other hand, has won 25 trophies, securing titles in his last six jobs in Portugal, England, Italy and Spain.

“The gaffer’s won at every club he’s gone to – there’s no hiding away from that,” said Kane after Mourinho’s reign began with a 3-2 victory at West Ham. “He wants to win. He’s a proven winner.

“I’ve made it clear that I’m at the stage of my career where I want to win trophies. I’ve made it clear I want to win them here, and it’s a big year for us. Realistically we look at the Champions League and the FA Cup this season to try and do that.

“We wanted to win when Mauricio was here, and we want to win the same now the [new] gaffer’s here. But of course when someone’s got a reputation like he has, it gives you confidence, it gives you that belief in the team.

“It’s almost a fresh slate for everyone now to show the manager what they can do, and hopefully the players can thrive on that.”

Like the rest of the football world, Kane and his team-mates were stunned when Pochettino was sacked and Mourinho was appointed just 11 hours later.

“It’s a week I’ve never really had in my career before,” said the England captain. “It was a big shock on Tuesday night for everyone, the players included, and then it was a quick turnaround.

“All of a sudden we’ve got a new manager – one of the best managers there’s been in the game – so you automatically have to turn your head towards that and focus on the game.

“I went round to [Mauricio’s] house and caught up with him the next day. It was a shock for everyone so I wanted to go and see him, and we had a chat for a couple of hours. It was nice to do that before the new manager came in.”

Eric Dier could be one player who profits from Mourinho’s arrival, having started the Portuguese’s first match in charge, being deployed in central midfield after ending Pochettino’s tenure at centre-back.

“I think he’s the perfect person to have followed on from Pochettino – that’s the feeling I have,” said Dier. “We’re really happy that if someone was to replace Pochettino, it was him.

“His record is unbelievable and he transmits that confidence. The way he speaks, you believe it, you feel it from him.

“I think he said to you guys, like he said to us, that he doesn’t want to come in and change everything two days before a game. I think it’s going to be something gradual that we move towards over time.

“He has his ways, he has his ideas and his mentality, so we’re just trying to adapt to that now.

“I know [which position] I want to play going forward. I think the manager knows, and the manager before knew as well. I prefer just to keep that between us. I know where I see my future but as I’ve always said, I’m genuinely happy to play anywhere for the team.”