RYAN Mason and Victor Wanyama take their place as Tottenham’s central midfield pairing at training.

In front of them stands Mauricio Pochettino. Right in the thick of it.

“Yes, move!”

“Very good, very good!”

“Push, PUSH, keep possession now, move the ball, calm now, CALM now!”

It isn’t the midfield pair barking instructions, but the Argentine, standing in the centre of the pitch, papers tucked under one arm, while the other points as instructions are barked.

It’s a chilly night on a soggy AAMI Park, with a couple of hundred spectators watching. Spurs have flown across from the other side of the globe and have hardly been here 48 hours. But double sessions are the order of the day while here in Melbourne, and on Monday night, the evening before their game against Juventus in the International Champions Cup, it’s a tactical run through and a chance to get a glimpse of Pochettino at work, a man with a reputation of having players in his thrall, working at a famously intense rate.

Tottenham Hotspur players listen to instructions Source: AFP

“He tests us physically and mentally in training,” Mason explained to fosxports.com.au. “He wants us to push ourselves to the limit in training so when we play matches we’re used to it and we’re fit and mentally strong enough.

“He’s constantly working us hard and we’re benefitting from it.”

Some have questioned the rampant demands Pochettino requires from his players. Indeed, they leaked 16 goals from their last 11 games as their title charge diminished, with six goals leaked in the final 20 minutes of their poor final month against West Brom, Chelsea, Southampton and Newcastle.

He even does the translator’s job for him ... Source: AFP

They were tired. Pochettino even said on Monday that his stars are not “machines”, which is why he left the star cavalry in London and needs them re-charged and ready.

Because Pochettino’s philosophy needs them to be. And his players definitely aren't the ones questioning it.

“I think it starts with that we know what he wants and we know what we want as a team,” says the squad’s elder statesman, back-up keeper Michel Vorm.

“The way we train and the way we play, is obviously very similar and it’s tough. We work hard, we try to play good when we have the ball and when we lose the ball we try to put the opponent under pressure as soon as possible.

Tottenham Hotspur team manager Mauricio Pochettino conducts training. Source: AFP

“The minute he came in he tried to implement that on us – but it’s hard, hard work.”

Nacer Chadli adds: “Even if it’s just a small exercise, it’s important to do it very intense ... and to replicate and do it again with high intensity. That’s how we want to play, so it’s important to do it in training.”

So much so, the gold bib members of the ‘second XI’ pressed maniacally in a scratch match, both strikers sitting on the edge of the box when defending from the front. Indeed, goalkeeper Luke McGee was put under so much pressure from a press he was trapped on his own line and conceded a goal – albeit, trying to play the ball out from the back.

Spurs covered a famous amount of territory last year defensively on the way to conceding a league low 35 times, and as Pochettino implored them at AAMI Park to shut down passing channels, it is clear to see that famous work rate will be key again this year.

But this young side plays with ambition too, scoring the second most goals last term. Nothing made Pochettino more sprightly at training from his post in the middle of the park than a quality switch to open pastures or purposeful ball.

Often, he’d be directing the chess pieces himself. Gesturing. Pointing. Yelling.

“Yes, yes, YES, again ... come on, move!”

Vorm adds: “In football, it’s all about the mentality, he makes sure he tells us and the way we work, we start with a good mentality and we get an advantage we’ve seen last season.

“So, with the Euros, England might not have been that good, but for these guys, a few years ago, most people didn’t know them, but you can see the steps they’ve made.

Tottenham Hotspur team manager Mauricio Pochettino at AAMI Park. Source: AFP

“And it’s all to do with the staff over the last few years. We’ve grown and grown.”

26-year-old Chadli has experienced that evolution under the Argentine first hand, and Mason, who is looking to win his way back into Pochettino’s XI, admits the hard work yields rewards for their playing style.

“I think it’s long term work because we started two years ago and you can see every year we improve,” Chadli acknowledges. “We want to improve again this year as well, better than last season. We’re just training hard, it’s not about luck.”

Mason adds: “It’s brilliant. We train hard, do double sessions, but the gaffer and the coaching staff know when to train hard, when to rest and they do it perfectly in relation to the games we play.

“It’s good to be a part of; everyone’s hungry to work and to improve as players and a team.

“Pre-season is very tough, the first couple of weeks were very tough. You try to prepare yourself to come in as (ready) as possible but you can’t replicate what training is like. We’ve done lots of gym sessions, double sessions but hopefully that holds us in good stead.”

And it will need to be, because the man himself, who ruled out a link with his country’s national team job as well on Monday, doesn’t look like he’s changing tune, but, addressed how it hurt to drop to third on the final day.

When asked by foxsports.com.au what the biggest lesson was from last year, Pochettino said: “Football you must always be open to growth and learn. Every experience it’s important to learn, it’s important for your future.

Tottenham Hotspur team manager Mauricio Pochettino. Source: AFP

“I think last season we feel very disappointed at the end of the season – we had the option to win the league, but we came third. We achieved the Champions League, it was a clear challenge to us from the beginning of the season. The last two games, we feel very disappointed, but I think a lot of positive thing need to take from last season, maybe we must compete better during some period of the season. But we are very young.

“The good thing is the young players have experience, one year more, and we have players who can improve our squad, Wanyama, Janssen.”

After purposefully setting up his training field, Pochettino, who signed a five year contract extension earlier this year, ran a series of set drills. First, just defensive pressing and positioning. Stop, instructions in a huddle. Then, start the activity through Wanyama or Mason. Stop, team huddle. Add some more fluid attacking movement. Stop, team huddle. Each time, it became more dynamic.

Pochettino discusses things with his players. Source: Getty Images

“Start again, yes, now move, FORWARD, well done, finish!”

Then it becomes XI v XI. And it had all the hallmarks of that Pochettino way.

So while Messrs Mourinho and Guardiola try to leapfrog Tottenham into what they perceive to be their rightful positions, listening to the Spurs players talk, you sense their manager has infused them with a belief that they belong there too, and that they will learn from last year’s late collapse.

“We also know the way we work, if you do it right, most games you will win, or at least don’t lose,” Vorm, 32, concluded. “If you see the progress from the minute he came in, it’s unbelievable. You see with players, the Ryan Masons, Harry Kanes, Eric Diers, they’ve been amazing. Dele Alli as well. That’s not just good for Tottenham, it’s good for England’s national team, especially with the guys so young getting the right influence and mentality.

“It’s why I can’t wait for this season, and the season after.

“I’m happy they’ve signed a new deal for longer term – to keep this group together for as much as we can. Bigger step, bigger step. It’s a whole process, the whole thing we are doing is very interesting, with young talented players, especially with the right mentality. That’s what they implement us. It’s great to work with.

“It is (infectious) but hard work.”