Ryan Mason, the former Tottenham midfielder, has revealed that he squared up to senior teammates who were not pulling their weight during Mauricio Pochettino's first season as manager.

Having joined Spurs aged 7, Mason was one of a number of academy graduates promoted to the first-team when Pochettino joined the club in May 2014.

The midfielder, who retired from football aged 26 in February, says himself and Harry Kane were among the players to support Pochettino against a clique of "bad eggs", who did not respond to the new manager's methods.

"It's no secret there were a few bad eggs at Tottenham," Mason told The Spurs Show podcast. "A lot of managers were scared to stand up to them and it was a case of the players being in control of the managers, really.

"I was so desperate to play for Spurs. It helped because I had Harry and some other boys [with me]. In the first few weeks of preseason, there were a few lads not giving as much as they should. We called them out, we had arguments...I squared up to a few senior players.

"I think that's why the fans now see connection with club and the players. And the gaffer coming in was part of that. You've got players now that actually care about the club and want to play. If you're a new player, you can't cut any corners. If you're not putting work in you get called out."

After initially putting faith in the old guard by naming Younes Kaboul and Emmanuel Adebayor as captain and vice-captain respectively, Pochettino soon banished a number of senior players from the team entirely, as the likes of Mason and Kane grew in prominence.

Mason, who is currently taking his coaches badges at Spurs, did not say which players were the troublemakers but insisted he would never have confronted centre-back Kaboul.

"I want to save the names for my book," he said. "I can't give away all the juicy bits. I'll be honest, I wouldn't have squared up to Younes, he'd flatten anyone."

Mauricio Pochettino's best results as Tottenham boss 24 show all Mauricio Pochettino's best results as Tottenham boss 1/24 A new era begins..... May 28 2014: Mauricio Pochettino signs a five year deal to become Tottenham's new manager. Getty Images 2/24 Tottenham 5 Chelsea 3 1 January 2015 - Harry Kane announces himself on the big stage as Spurs sweep Jose Mourinho's men aside at the Lane. Getty Images 3/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 1 7 February 2015 - Spurs come from behind to see off the Gunners and climb one point above their rivals. 4/24 Tottenham 4 Manchester City 1 26 September 2016 - Manuel Pellegrini's side have no answer to a potent Spurs attack and are powerless to prevent a rout. 5/24 Tottenham 4 West Ham 1 22 November 2015 - Spurs come flying out of the blocks and put a talented Hammers team to the sword with another four-goal haul. 6/24 Manchester City 1 Tottenham 2 14 February 2016 - Christian Eriksen caps a superb away performance at the Etihad Stadium. Pochettino leads the passionate celebrations at full time. AFP/Getty Images 7/24 Tottenham 3 Manchester United 0 10 April 2016 - Louis van Gaal's side are blown away in six second-half minutes. Getty Images 8/24 The next chapter.... Mauricio Pochettino reaches a verbal agreement to extend his contract until 2021. 9/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester City 0 2 October 2016 - An Aleksandar Kolarov own goal and a Dele Alli strike help Spurs sweep Pep Guardiola's men aside. Getty Images 10/24 Tottenham 2 Chelsea 0 4 January 2017 - Dele Alli scores twice to help Spurs bring Chelsea's 13-game winning streak to an end. Getty Images 11/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 0 30 April 2016 - Harry Kane and Dele Alli are on target as Spurs confirm a superior league finish to their rivals for the first time since 1994-95. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 12/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester United 1 14 May 2016 - Spurs bid farewell to White Hart Lane in style with Victor Wanyama and Harry Kane on target for the Lilywhites. AP 13/24 Tottenham 3 Borussia Dortmund 1 13 September 2017 - Tottenham banished last season's European disappointment with a thumping opening win at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 14/24 Real Madrid 1 Tottenham 1 17 October 2017 - A depleted Spurs impressed in the Bernabeu to record a vital Champions League point. Getty Images 15/24 Tottenham 4 Liverpool 1 22 October 2017 - Spurs put their top four rivals in their place with a resounding win under the arch. Stu Forster/Getty Images 16/24 Tottenham 3 Real Madrid 1 1 November 2017 - Tottenham follow up their result in Madrid with a memorable victory over the Champions League holders at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 17/24 Juventus 2 Tottenham 2 13 February 2018 - Tottenham fightback from being 2-0 down inside ten minutes to claim a memorable draw. However, they would lose the second leg 2-1 at Wembley. Getty Images 18/24 Chelsea 1 Tottenham 3 1 April 2018 - Spurs record their first win at Stamford Bridge since 1990 thanks to goals from Christian Eriksen and a Dele Alli double. REUTERS 19/24 Barcelona 1 Tottenham 1 11 December 2018 - A draw a Camp Nou clinched Tottenham's progression to the Champions League knock-out stages. AFP/Getty Images 20/24 Tottenham 3 Dortmund 0 13 February 2019 - Tottenham thump the Bundesliga side in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie. REUTERS 21/24 Dortmund 0 Tottenham 1 5 March 2019 - Harry Kane's goal sealed a 4-0 aggregate win and an impressive 1-0 victory in Germany. Bongarts/Getty Images 22/24 Tottenham 1 Man City 0 9 April 2019 - Heung-min Son scored the only goal of the game as Tottenham won the opening leg of their Champions League quarter-final. AP 23/24 Man City 4 Tottenham 3 Fernando Llorente was the hero for Tottenham as his late goal sent Spurs through to the Champions League semi-finals on away goals. Mike Egerton/PA Wire 24/24 Ajax 3 Tottenham 3 Lucas Moura's stunning hat-trick saw Spurs come from behind to book their place in the Champions League final. Getty Images 1/24 A new era begins..... May 28 2014: Mauricio Pochettino signs a five year deal to become Tottenham's new manager. Getty Images 2/24 Tottenham 5 Chelsea 3 1 January 2015 - Harry Kane announces himself on the big stage as Spurs sweep Jose Mourinho's men aside at the Lane. Getty Images 3/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 1 7 February 2015 - Spurs come from behind to see off the Gunners and climb one point above their rivals. 4/24 Tottenham 4 Manchester City 1 26 September 2016 - Manuel Pellegrini's side have no answer to a potent Spurs attack and are powerless to prevent a rout. 5/24 Tottenham 4 West Ham 1 22 November 2015 - Spurs come flying out of the blocks and put a talented Hammers team to the sword with another four-goal haul. 6/24 Manchester City 1 Tottenham 2 14 February 2016 - Christian Eriksen caps a superb away performance at the Etihad Stadium. Pochettino leads the passionate celebrations at full time. AFP/Getty Images 7/24 Tottenham 3 Manchester United 0 10 April 2016 - Louis van Gaal's side are blown away in six second-half minutes. Getty Images 8/24 The next chapter.... Mauricio Pochettino reaches a verbal agreement to extend his contract until 2021. 9/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester City 0 2 October 2016 - An Aleksandar Kolarov own goal and a Dele Alli strike help Spurs sweep Pep Guardiola's men aside. Getty Images 10/24 Tottenham 2 Chelsea 0 4 January 2017 - Dele Alli scores twice to help Spurs bring Chelsea's 13-game winning streak to an end. Getty Images 11/24 Tottenham 2 Arsenal 0 30 April 2016 - Harry Kane and Dele Alli are on target as Spurs confirm a superior league finish to their rivals for the first time since 1994-95. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 12/24 Tottenham 2 Manchester United 1 14 May 2016 - Spurs bid farewell to White Hart Lane in style with Victor Wanyama and Harry Kane on target for the Lilywhites. AP 13/24 Tottenham 3 Borussia Dortmund 1 13 September 2017 - Tottenham banished last season's European disappointment with a thumping opening win at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 14/24 Real Madrid 1 Tottenham 1 17 October 2017 - A depleted Spurs impressed in the Bernabeu to record a vital Champions League point. Getty Images 15/24 Tottenham 4 Liverpool 1 22 October 2017 - Spurs put their top four rivals in their place with a resounding win under the arch. Stu Forster/Getty Images 16/24 Tottenham 3 Real Madrid 1 1 November 2017 - Tottenham follow up their result in Madrid with a memorable victory over the Champions League holders at Wembley. Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images 17/24 Juventus 2 Tottenham 2 13 February 2018 - Tottenham fightback from being 2-0 down inside ten minutes to claim a memorable draw. However, they would lose the second leg 2-1 at Wembley. Getty Images 18/24 Chelsea 1 Tottenham 3 1 April 2018 - Spurs record their first win at Stamford Bridge since 1990 thanks to goals from Christian Eriksen and a Dele Alli double. REUTERS 19/24 Barcelona 1 Tottenham 1 11 December 2018 - A draw a Camp Nou clinched Tottenham's progression to the Champions League knock-out stages. AFP/Getty Images 20/24 Tottenham 3 Dortmund 0 13 February 2019 - Tottenham thump the Bundesliga side in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie. REUTERS 21/24 Dortmund 0 Tottenham 1 5 March 2019 - Harry Kane's goal sealed a 4-0 aggregate win and an impressive 1-0 victory in Germany. Bongarts/Getty Images 22/24 Tottenham 1 Man City 0 9 April 2019 - Heung-min Son scored the only goal of the game as Tottenham won the opening leg of their Champions League quarter-final. AP 23/24 Man City 4 Tottenham 3 Fernando Llorente was the hero for Tottenham as his late goal sent Spurs through to the Champions League semi-finals on away goals. Mike Egerton/PA Wire 24/24 Ajax 3 Tottenham 3 Lucas Moura's stunning hat-trick saw Spurs come from behind to book their place in the Champions League final. Getty Images

Mason also suggested he was unhappy with the club for the manner of his exit in summer 2016, when he was sold to Hull City for £13million, but said he would also save the full story for his upcoming book.

"It was nothing to do with the gaffer, but I felt like I should have been treated in a better way," he said. "I found it hard to get over certain things that I believe shouldn't have happened.

"If you're not mentally 100% it's very difficult to perform. I tried to get over it in preseason but i couldn't. The gaffer said he wouldn't stand in my way if you want to get games."

Mason was forced to retired aged 26 after suffering a fractured skull while playing for Hull at Chelsea in January 2017.