OPINION
Mauricio Pochettino just can’t do it.
Presented with an open goal on countless occasions by journalists eager to hear the Tottenham manager’s insight and opinion on Lucas Moura, he continually ignores the opportunities.
Instead, Pochettino resorts to praising the team or, as he did after Moura’s man-of-the-match display against Manchester United, the club’s recruitment chief Steve Hitchen for persuading him to sign the player from Paris Saint-Germain in January.
“Yes, many many praise he is going to receive now,” Pochettino said of Moura at his post-match media conference, as quoted by Football London. “But for me I want to say to our chief scout Steve Hitchen and all the people that worked with him, because they advised to sign him.
“When the people sometimes criticise because always it is tough now, I think I need to say well done, because today’s performance from Lucas Moura, for the people that advised and feel responsible too, they need to be praised too. That is why I want to congratulate them.
“There are always people who are working behind and it was a fantastic job because today I think Lucas deserves a lot of credit.”
It is starting to become a standing joke among the posse of correspondents who regularly cover Tottenham how Pochettino will duck, dive and weave to avoid bigging up Moura.
This is most odd. And begs the question, why?
Presumably, the Brazil international hasn’t irritated or antagonised the Argentine, or he would be selecting for the starting XI, as he has done for all four of Spurs’ Premier League matches this season.
One theory is that Pochettino is deliberately playing down Moura’s contribution as he does not want expectations to spiral out of control.
That sort of makes sense, but the Argentine is not shy of delivering consistently upbeat verdicts on most of his first teamers, including the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Hugo Lloris in recent times.
Another theory is that Pochettino wants more from Moura, including a increased work ethic and greater off-the-ball contribution.
It was a similar situation in Son Heung-Min’s first season at Tottenham, when the manager was reluctant to praise the attacker until he carried out the coaching instructions to the letter.
Moura did enough to be crowned the Premier League player of the month for August. But, in Pochettino’s book, it appears he still has a long way to go.