It was a subtle compliment, but one that echoed long after it had been uttered.
"I really like the way this side play, they remind me of us," said Pep Guaridola of Barcelona's intracity rival Espanyol, managed by the former Argentine international Mauricio Pochettino. His evaluation was a fair one. Defensively aggressive, pressing high up the field, many of the traits that are associated with Barça's success were also being used by the city's other team.
Those same ideals were also on display when Pochettino took his new club, Southampton, into the intimidating atmosphere of Old Trafford to face Manchester United. While his team may have lost that day, the result did little to reflect the true complexion of the game.
Southampton was able to maintain 57 percent of the possession during the game, according to Opta, and produce almost twice as many attempts as their prestigious opponents. Pochettino added to his list of admirers when United Manager Alex Ferguson cited Southampton as the best visitors to Old Trafford all season. Pochettino admitted before the game he was more concerned that Ferguson would not enjoy his postmatch wine selection.
His changes have been small, but noticeable.
"It may seem like we are running more, but really we are just running in a more organized way," midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin said. Now in his fifth year with the club, Schneiderlin, 23, is a stellar example of the benefits Pochettino's changes have provided.
"I like midfielders who cover a lot of ground and go into the opposing team areas," Pochettino said. Against Manchester City 60 percent of Schneiderlin's interceptions occurred in the opposition half of the field — a drop from the even more impressive 80 percent, according to Opta, that he had recorded a week earlier during their game against Wigan Athletic. This is despite the Frenchman being perceived as the defensively minded member of Southampton's central midfield.
Discussing his mantra, Pochettino condenses it simply: "Our style of play is to win back the ball as soon as possible and then play it. We moved forward our lines and play more upfield. When we lose the ball we must have the mentality of winning it back as soon as possible."
Earning his first victory as Southampton manager against defending Premier League champions Manchester City, the visitors to the St. Mary's also recorded their lowest pass completion rate of the season, just 76 percent. The win left Southampton with 27 points, and in 15th place in the Premier League.
Such high-intensity tactics have a drawback if your opponent is able to play around you or get in behind. That style of play also requires high levels of physical fitness, something Pochettino has in the aforementioned Schneiderlin and the former Chelsea youngster Jack Cork.
Nicknamed the Sheriff at Espanyol, Pochettino used training methods that, much like his tactics, were noted for their intensity
"At times you want to kill him because he makes you suffer like a dog, but you get the results," striker Pablo Osvaldo said.
Osvaldo was one of many stars that Pochettino saw leave Espanyol during his time as manager. A crippling financial situation meant players like Victor Ruiz, José Callejon and Osvaldo were sold. It was a situation Osvaldo is unlikely to see repeated at Southampton — its summer acquisition of Gastón Ramírez for a little more than $18 million was followed by a January bid for Inter Milan's Coutinho.
One of the more notable facets of Pochettin's time with Espanyol as he guided it away from relegation in his first season was his nurturing of young talent.
Southampton has a strong history of player production. The Arsenal stars Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as well as Tottenham's Gareth Bale represent a few who have come through the system at St. Mary's.
On Pochettino's current squad, James Ward-Prowse and Luke Shaw find themselves as the academy graduates supplementing the first team. It should be expected that Pochettino will not only aid their development but encourage some of their fellow young players, including the American goalkeeper Cody Cropper, to become more involved with the first team.
Despite Pochettino's gravitating from player to manager at Espanyol, past relationships did not hamper his ability to manage. One of his assets in Barcelona was his ability to grow close to his players yet maintain the distance an authority figure requires.
"I don't see a football player unless I first see the person," he said. "Respect must be there between the players and the manager and the players themselves. It's a minimum requirement." It was a simple explanation of his management style, one that will receive its greatest litmus test while at Southampton
At the height of his powers, Pochettino was linked with Real Madrid, but having also spurned offers from Valencia and Sampdoria, he showed loyalty in the face of adversity that was admirable.
"My children sleep in Espanyol pajamas," he told reporters.
Though Pochettino left Espanyol in relegation, when he and the club agreed to terminate his contract it was with the understanding that much had been achieved. After all, he was the third-longest serving manager in the club's 112-year history.
"For someone like me it is sad to leave this institution, but these decisions are made for positive reasons," he said at his final news conference.
Still with much to learn, Pochettino must now also master a new language. Although he speaks only basic English, it is clear that his easily understood message transcends the language barrier, proving football is a universal language.
"I feel I'm communicating well with the players and most of the time the communication is about gestures rather than verbal communicatio," he said. "Footballers are able to understand better a gesture of positioning or movement than a word."
Kristan Heneage is a freelance writer based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. He operates a Web site and he can be followed on Twitter.
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