Dele Alli paid an emotional tribute to former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino after the Argentine coach was dismissed this week.
Spurs chief Daniel Levy made the call to replace Pochettino with former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho - a controversial decision among many fans.
Pochettino's five-year reign in north London was ended on Tuesday night following a poor run of form domestically - just five months after reaching the Champions League final in Madrid.
Dele made the move to Spurs from Milton Keynes Dons in 2015, and has become a Premier League star and England international under Pochettino's tutelage.
And the 23-year-old paid tribute to his former boss, stating that it had been difficult to say goodbye to someone who had such a profound impact on and off the pitch.
"I think it's clear that our relationship was more than just football," he told Premier League TV.
"He's someone that meant a lot to me, and to a lot of the players - because when you speak to him, it wasn't just about football things, it was about life stuff as well.
"He had a big impact on and off the field in my life, so I can't thank him enough and all the staff that were there, not just for me but for the team as well.
"Yeah, it's been a difficult one, but we're professional. We've just got to focus on the game at the weekend and the new challenges ahead.
"We worked together for so long, he's a great man, and it was important to him not just what was going on on the pitch, but how we were as people.
"He wanted us to be good people as well as good footballers, so when you have that trust in a manager and you speak a lot after five years, obviously you're going to have a great relationship.
"I'm very lucky I got to work with him and he is someone I will call my friend, and I know we'll always stay in touch."
