Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has opened up on how it hurt him to see Mauricio Pochettino leave the club.
Despite guiding Spurs to the Champions League final last season, a poor start to the campaign saw the Argentine sacked by Daniel Levy in November.
Lloris was an ever-present under Pochettino and admits it wasn’t nice to see his old boss leave the club given the bond they had created.
But he also acknowledged that a manager leaving a club is now part of football and something players must accept.
“It’s been hard,” the goalkeeper told L’Equipe via Sport Witness.
“It’s not nice to see people you really like leaving, and with whom you’re connected.
“But we also know that that’s part of football and you don’t have a say as a player, you have to put yourself immediately at the service of the new coach.
“After five and a half years together, we understood each other with our eyes closed. Now you have to get to know each other. But with top-level people, it happens quickly.”
Lloris, who remains on the sidelines as he continues his rehabilitation from injury, also opened up on what it has been like working under Pochettino’s replacement, Jose Mourinho.
“It’s a different approach. But I’m taking a positive approach to that, too,” he added.
“We’re never done learning, and I’m not closed to change. It (the first meeting) went very well.
“We had met on the Premier League pitches, but it’s the first time we’ve spoken in such depth. I’m finding out.
“It’s still an opportunity for us players to be in daily contact with one of the greatest coaches of the last 20 years, who’s won everywhere.
“We had met on the Premier League pitches, but it’s the first time we’ve spoken in such depth. I’m finding out.
“It’s still an opportunity for us players to be in daily contact with one of the greatest coaches of the last 20 years, who’s won everywhere.
