We chart the rise of Mauricio Pochettino and examine how he is transforming Tottenham ahead of their Super Sunday showdown with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium... Sir Alex Ferguson never faced Mauricio Pochettinos Tottenham but it is safe to assume his team talk would have been rather different to the one Roy Keane made famous two years ago. It was Tottenham at home, recalled the former Manchester United captain. He came in and said: Lads, its Tottenham, and that was it. Brilliant.Keane was using that anecdote to highlight Fergusons knack for knowing exactly what his players needed to hear, but it said even more about Spurs. To their rivals, they were a soft touch; the Premier Leagues nearly team, where managers came and went but the formula stayed the same. Mauricio Pochettino praises his Tottenham side and credits the supporters after their 1-0 win over Watford at White Hart Lane Pochettino, though, is overseeing a transformation. The traditional flakiness has been replaced by what their head coach calls a winning mentality, and Spurs sit second in the Premier League having won seven of their last nine games, including Saturdays utterly dominant 1-0 victory over Watford. They are like animals, said an awe-struck Quique Sanchez Flores. They have everything a team needs to try to be champions.That includes the fearlessness with which they will approach Sundays clash with Manchester City. I think we are different people now, said Pochettino on Saturday. We live in the present, and the group of players, the staff, the club, the president and the supporters believe we are strong and we can win every game. This is important.This Spurs side is built in Pochettinos image. The former Argentina international was a tough, tactically astute centre-back in his playing days. He often references the influence of Marcelo Bielsa as a youngster at Newells Old Boys in his homeland, and he went on to spend most of his playing career at Espanyol, where he had two spells either side of a stint in France with Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux. Mauricio Pochettino took points off Pep Guardiolas Barcelona on three separate occasions during his time at Espanyol As a player at Espanyol, Pochettino was a leader, a captain and just generally somebody who people listened to when he talked, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague tells Sky Sports. He was a big-name international and when he returned as the coach in 2009, it was the return of the prodigal son in a way.Espanyol was Pochettinos first job in management and he inherited a side that looked doomed to relegation from La Liga, but within a month he had overseen their first away win against arch-rivals Barcelona in 27 years, and they ended the season in 10th place after an extraordinary run of eight wins from their last 10 games.For the next three seasons Pochettino kept Espanyol competitive despite the club being in what Balague describes as financial disarray. Key players were repeatedly sold but Pochettino put his faith in youngsters from their academy and the bold approach paid off. No coach took more points from Pep Guardiolas Barcelona, says Balague. With what he had, it was a fantastic achievement. Pochettinos managerial methods have received hefty praise Espanyol played with the high-intensity style that would become a hallmark of his Southampton and Spurs sides. It was possession football, with building from the back, says Balague. He gave the players the confidence to do exactly that and he made us [the fans] enjoy it. The results werent always great but for three seasons they were good enough and we were enjoying the football.Pochettinos side began to slide in the 2012/13 season and he left by mutual consent with them bottom of the table that November. It was a sad way to depart and showed he still had much to learn, but Southamptons former executive chairman Nicola Cortese had seen enough to controversially sack Nigel Adkins and appoint the young coach at St Marys just a couple of months later.The decision provoked widespread outcry, but the doubts didnt linger for long. Southampton successfully avoided relegation in 2012/13, and Pochettino was able to put his stamp on the team as they secured an eighth-placed finish in 2013/14 - just two years on from their promotion from the Championship. All the players bought into his philosophy and he got respect from every player at the football club. Matt Le Tissier I think his biggest asset was probably the team spirit that he got going at Southampton, Saints legend Matt Le Tissier told Sky Sports. All the players bought into his philosophy and he got respect from every player at the football club.Tales of Pochettinos gruelling training techniques began circulating in the summer of 2013. The Argentine subjected his players to three sessions per day during pre-season, and he even made them walk barefoot across hot coals. At times you want to kill him, simply because he makes you suffer like a dog, said Pablo Osvaldo, who worked with Pochettino at Espanyol and Southampton. But, in the end, you get the right results. Pochettinos demands were a culture shock, but Southamptons players were smitten by the 43-year-old and the club reaped the rewards. Hes world-class, not just as a manager, but as a person, said Adam Lallana. The way he man-manages his players. He makes you feel good about yourself.That year, Pochettinos men were the fittest and fastest side in the division, forcing opponents into mistakes with feverish pressing all over the pitch. Premier league tracking data showed Southampton ranked first for distance covered and high-intensity sprints, and it is no coincidence that Spurs have overtaken Saints in both departments since his move to White Hart Lane. Pochettinos Premier League running stats Season Club Distance covered rank Sprints rank 2013/14 Southampton 1st 1st 2014/15 Tottenham 2nd 3rd 2015/16 Tottenham 2nd 2nd Pochettino works on his players confidence as well as their fitness. He planted it into our heads that even if we were up against bigger teams and bigger players, we could compete at the same level as them, said Nathaniel Clyne. Personally, it took my game to another level.Clyne is not the only one to have felt the benefits. We do have to work hard in training and I do suffer but its an enjoyable kind of suffering because Im benefitting so much, said Danny Rose a few months after Pochettino arrived at Spurs. Im far more tactically aware and more consistent.Pochettino has a ruthless side, too. At Espanyol he stripped his former team-mate Raul Tamudo of the captaincy despite the strikers legendary status at the club, and he has shown a willingness to wield the axe at Spurs. Emmanuel Adebayor was completely frozen out after refusing to fall in line, and Andros Townsends days were numbered from the moment he publically rowed with fitness coach Nathan Gardiner in November. Andros Townsend was banished to Tottenhams U21s by Pochettino after a show of ill-discipline After Espanyol and Southampton, Pochettinos youth policy has been even more successful at Spurs. The philosophy is embodied by teenager Dele Alli, who has been a revelation this season, and Spurs dynamic and hungry squad does not contain a single outfield player over the age of 30. Pochettino is quite happy to give young players a chance ahead of big-name players, as long as theyre good enough, says former striker Terry Gibson, who came through the youth ranks at Spurs in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I think he enjoys working with the young players because they take on board his ideas and theyre fit enough to carry them out.His treatment of Roberto Soldado and Harry Kane was the perfect example, adds Gibson. The club paid a hell of a lot of money for Soldado but he was quite happy to let them fight it out and for Kane to be the first choice. It has worked perfectly. Now theyre thriving and they look a really good side. Harry Kane has proven to be an important part of Mauricio Pochettinos squad Spurs have always had a reputation as a cup team but hes changing it now and we Spurs fans are really enjoying it. Were still pessimistic about winning the league or winning anything, but thats the nature of being a Spurs fan when we havent won the league for so long. I think there is a genuine belief now that Tottenham can go close.If Pochettino feels his players need any extra motivation when they travel to the Etihad Stadium, he could do a lot worse than remind them just how far they have come since Fergusons famous team talk. Watch Manchester City v Tottenham live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 3.30pm on Sunday Also See: Spurs have winning mentality Pochettino coy on title talk Premier League weekend grades Who has the best keeper? Leandro Barbosa Jersey . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup. Richaun Holmes Jersey . 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"Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The Vancouver Canucks face another early-season character test on Tuesday night -- against familiar foes.The struggling Canucks (6-9-1) will host the red-hot New York Rangers (12-4-0) on Tuesday night at Rogers Arena. The contest offers the Canucks a chance to build momentum following their dramatic 5-4 comeback overtime victory against the Dallas Stars on Sunday.Rookie defenseman Troy Stecher suggested the Canucks, who have only two wins in the past 12 games, do have the character that they need to climb up the standings. He was inspired by veterans actions Sunday as Vancouver overcame deficits of 2-1 after the first period, 3-1 after the second and 4-3 in the third.We came in here (in the dressing room) after the first period and some things were said from some of the leadership guys, and thats huge for myself and for the rest of the guys in the room, with the young guys that weve got -- that its unacceptable to keep losing, said Stecher, a 22-year-old Richmond, B.C., native who scored the goal that forced overtime Sunday.Tuesdays affair also gives the Canucks an opportunity to show that their convincing 5-3 victory over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden a week ago was no fluke. The win in New York was the lone bright spot as the Canucks went 1-5 on their recent road trip.The Rangers entourage includes coach Alain Vigneault, who become Vancouvers all-time winningest coach before he was unceremoniously fired after the 2013-14 season and promptly hired by New York.The Rangers also feature Michael Grabner, a former Canucks first-round draft pick (2006, 14th overall) who never stuck before being traded to Florida prior to the 2010-11 season. He never played a regular-season for the Panthers and bounced to the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs before winding back in the Big Apple with the Blueshirts.Grabner, a 29-year-old Villach, Austria, native, leads the Rangers in scoring with 10 goals -- one more than he had with Toronto last season -- and three assists following his reunion with Vigneault. He maintained his hot scoring Sunday night by scoring two goals in a 3-1 victory over the Oilers in Edmonton.When I signed here, I knew how they were playing would benefit my style -- a fast-paced game, Grabner, who joined the Rangers as free agent on a two-year, $3.3 million contract from the Maple Leafs in the offseason, recently told The Vancouver Province. Its been perfect from training camp to right now and it helped knowing Vigneault and (Rangers assistant Scott Arniel) from my days with the Moose.Grabner was referring to Vancouvers foormer Manitoba Moose farm club in the American Hockey League.dddddddddddd.Arniel formerly served as a Canucks assistant under Vigneault as well as head coach of the Moose. Ironically, their rare trip back to Vancouver could be a factor as Canucks ownership and management evaluate current coach Willie Desjardins, who earned a reprieve with the win over Dallas.Vigneault definitely knows a few things about the Canucks. Vancouvers core players expanded their skills significantly under his watch. He guided them within one victory of the Stanley Cup in 2010-11. So the Canucks will likely try to mix a few things up. One of the change-ups will likely involve more duty for Brandon Sutter on the top line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin -- or at least the power play with them.Sutter was moved to the top line in the third period Sunday and scored a power-play goal -- Vancouvers first man-advantage marker in 11 games -- and assisted on Markus Granlunds overtime winner after winning a face-off.Sometimes when its not working and were not getting anything going, its good to try and shuffle it up a bit, said Sutter. We did it and a couple lines got a few things going, and we went from there. Its just one of those things where you have to change things up.Coach Desjardins may also try to change things up by inserting second-year winger Jake Virtanen back into the lineup after he was recalled Sunday from Utica of the AHL, where he completed a two-game conditioning stint. Virtanen, 20, is one of Vancouvers few naturally gifted scorers -- when he is on his game. But he has not been lately.Meanwhile, Vigneault is expected to adjust his lineup by inserting rookie winger Cristoval (Boo) Nieves, who was called up from Hartford of the AHL on Monday after injured forwards Chris Kreider (upper body) and Pavel Buchnevich (back spasms) could not play Sunday. If he gets the nod, Nieves, a 22-year-old Baldwinsville, N.Y., native who had one goal and five assists with Hartford this season, will make his NHL debut.Nieves will give the Rangers a full complement of forwards after Vigneault was short one Sunday and dressed an unused extra defenseman, Adam Clendening, who is also a former Canuck. Chances are that Clendening would have been used as a forward -- if Vigneault felt that he needed him up front.But the Rangers had little difficulty improving to 4-1 in their last five road games -- a stat that provides another reason why Tuesdays contest is a character test for the Canucks. ' ' '