<
        >

          Paulo Gazzaniga follows hometown hero Mauricio Pochettino from Argentina to Spurs, via Southampton

          • Ben Pearce, Tottenham correspondentDec 4, 2018, 10:05 PM

          The majority of Southampton's players probably knew little about Mauricio Pochettino when he replaced Nigel Adkins at St. Mary's in January 2013, but one was certainly familiar with his new manager's background.

          Goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga was stunned when he heard that a celebrated hometown hero would be taking charge, someone who had also started his journey in the small town of Murphy, in the Argentinian province of Santa Fe. With a population of just 3,500, news travels fast in Murphy, so it was Gazzaniga's family who told him about Pochettino's appointment.

          "They called me first because they knew before me," Gazzaniga told ESPN FC. "Of course I was very surprised because this never happens. It happens one time in a million so I couldn't believe it.

          "It was a bit crazy. Mauricio had a relationship with my granddad and especially my dad, because they played against each other with Instituto and Newell's Old Boys, and my uncle went to school with him when they were children. It was a big coincidence.

          "In Murphy he's very famous because he was the main player that left early. I used to see him on TV but I never had the opportunity to meet him in the town because he left so young.

          "[When we first met] he said 'I know your dad, your uncle, your granddad,' which I knew. Always from the first moment he was so close [to me]. It made me feel more comfortable, and with big confidence."

          Murphy has been such a hotbed of football talent that a sign was erected in the town a few years ago proudly displaying the names and faces of the players who come from the area.

          "My dad's face is also there, and my brother and a lot more players," said Gazzaniga, who presented a sports prize at this year's Outstanding For All Awards, an annual ceremony hosted by Haringey Council celebrating the achievements of teachers, students, staff and governors in the borough. "Unfortunately I wasn't in the town when they did it but I was proud, to see me there next to Mauricio and other big players.

          "Football in Murphy is very different. It's very passionate and you breathe football everywhere. In every square there are some children playing football. We're missing this a little bit now because of the technology and all this stuff, but the main thing I think was the passion.

          "I think every child in my town wants to be a football player. I feel so proud at the moment for me, my family, my town and my dad -- he was a goalkeeper also."

          Gazzaniga, who grew up idolising Petr Cech, came through Valencia's youth setup before joining Gillingham and then Southampton, where he encountered Pochettino. Now the pair are both at Tottenham, preparing to face the Saints at Wembley on Wednesday, after Gazzaniga followed his compatriot to north London in the summer of 2017.

          The 26-year-old only made one appearance for Spurs last season but has made rapid progress this campaign. Since mid-September, Gazzaniga has started two Premier League matches, saved two penalties in a Carabao Cup shootout victory over Watford, made his Champions League debut and made his bow for Argentina.

          "It's been unbelievable because a lot of things happened for me very quickly," said Gazzaniga. "It was a big surprise with the Argentina call-up, and to make my Champions League debut and to win at home [against PSV Eindhoven], at Wembley, it was another dream.

          "It's been a very emotional time, for my family as well. When you're young you set your objectives and in my mind was this, all the time. For me, it's my dream and I have to keep fighting for it."

          Temporary Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni also selected Gazzaniga's Spurs teammates Erik Lamela and Juan Foyth for November's matches against Mexico, and Gazzaniga added: "It was unbelievable for me because it made me feel more comfortable.

          "I haven't met the guys from the national team before and [Lamela] and [Foyth] already know some players so they opened the door for me. We were talking, saying it would be fantastic to go to the national team together, us three.

          "At the moment with Juan I'm very happy because I see the improvement in him since the first day. I see in that guy that he fights, he works and tries to be the best always. I'm so happy because his mentality is always to go and improve himself.

          "Mauricio always tries to give you the opportunity to keep improving. I think that's his main quality, that he always wants you to be the best, and I think that affects a lot of players.

          "Not only at Tottenham but also at Southampton, he was doing a fantastic job also and giving the opportunity to some players to go to the national team, like [Adam] Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Luke Shaw, [Nathaniel] Clyne.

          "Here I think he's shown he's an amazing coach because he always tries to take the best of you -- 100 per cent or maybe more. For young lads, it's very good and it's a good club to improve at."