Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino believes having a large number of ‘aggressive’ British players in the first-team provide the identity of the club.
The 45-year-old has been in charge of the North London club for three seasons and he has been instrumental in developing homegrown English talents such as Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Kyle Walker, Harry Winks and Danny Rose.
Speaking with the Mirror, the Tottenham boss pointed out that these players help to create a special identity within the football club.
“I like them, because they are very honest on the pitch and they are very aggressive,” he said.
“That aggression is very difficult to find in another country.
“You can add new people and players from the outside, but the main group that comes from the academy is important because that is the identity of the club.”
The likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli have struck up a fantastic partnership for Tottenham, scoring a total of 82 Premier League goals over the past two seasons.
These players have been key in Tottenham’s title pushes over the last few years and they’ll have the chance to experience Champions League football for the second consecutive season.
Five first-team Tottenham players were called up to represent the England national team to face Scotland on June 10 in an important World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park – the largest contingent from a single club.
Full-back Kieran Tripper received his first international call up following his impressive season at White Hart Lane, making 12 Premier League appearances and providing a total of five assists.