Kenyan international Victor Wanyama in action for Spurs [PHOTO/24horas.cl]
In preparation for his 29th English Premier League consecutive start for Spurs and playing at home to Burnley, Kenyan captain Victor Wanyama has heaped praise on his manager Mauricio Pochettino for helping make the best out of him.
The 'Lion of Muthurwa' first worked with Pochettino at Southampton after moving from Scotland's Celtic in July, 2013 but the relation was cut after the coach left the Saints.
However, Wanyama would again join him at Spurs last summer in a £11 million deal (Sh1.3 billion).
Here, the Kenyan was to become “an absolute revelation in the holding midfield role” this season as gauged by the club and remains their only ever-present in the Premier League after starting all the 28 games so far.
Wanyama has revealed that last season, he wanted to be nowhere else but with his manager at the new club.
“I looked at where the club was heading and with the manager, I knew I couldn’t go wrong. I know he (Pochettino) builds for the future and wants to fight for everything. I couldn’t resist that,” he said as quoted from Tottenham’s website.
Wanyama revealed that the manager was at the heart of his career, coming in to change the tide for the better.
“Mauricio has improved my game in all aspects, everything. It’s not just football, in life as well. He’s been able to teach me a lot inside and outside football, how to live with people, how to be humble," he said.
“I’ve learned a lot of things through him and I don’t just see him as a manager but as a father figure. I’d never had a manager who wants you to improve day by day like him,” added Wanyama.
“He works on your weakness, he’s a good role model and he doesn’t just look at football. We worked hard and after a while, you could see the difference because in the games I felt like the games were easier and we could run for 100 minutes because we were fitter,” concludes the Kenyan.
Wanyama's success story is also partly because of his formidable partnership with the Belgian international Mousa Dembele in the heart of the midfield.