By . Jack Gaughan . Follow @@Jack_Gaughan . The message radiating from White Hart Lane is clear: Tottenham Hotspur are a team transformed. As they look to banish last year to a box marked ‘honest mistakes’, Spurs - under the management of Mauricio Pochettino - go into the new Premier League season refreshed, full of new ideas and with a considerable amount of renewed optimism conspicuous by its absence for a club that spent more than £110million on replacing Gareth Bale. The plan had been to reinvest the world-record fee on building a formidable squad, not reliant on one asset. In the end that hastily assembled group appeared lethargic under Andre Villas-Boas and scattered with Tim Sherwood in charge. A sense of direction wasn't all that evident, Tottenham didn’t know who they were any more. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Christian Eriksen score a brilliant free kick during pre-season . All change: Mauricio Pochettino (centre) is transforming Tottenham's fortunes after taking over this summer . Then in stepped Pochettino. From a relative nobody to one of the country’s most revered coaches in under 18 months, the Argentine hasn’t messed about this pre-season. The squad have been made to work harder than ever before with an emphasis on a high octane programme ensuring they can press higher and for longer. Players are comfortable with, even encouraging, the intensity training; while a change in formation and style will be noticeable in the coming weeks - not least at West Ham on Saturday - it is the mood around the camp that has people at Spurs wired. Ledley King is one of those enthusiasts. A club ambassador and Under 18 coach, the former captain told Sportsmail the tangible effects Pochettino - aided by Jesus Perez and Miguel D’Agostino, who were both coaches at Southampton - has had on an ailing group. ‘The manager has come in and is doing something that most of the players have never done before,’ King said. ‘I've been impressed. Speaking to the players it’s obvious pre-season has been tough but enjoyable. Happy days: Pochettino has brought the smiles back to the faces of the Tottenham players . ‘They can see where the manager wants to go with this. It’s not just hard work for the sake of hard work - it has a motive behind it. They can see why they’re going to have to be fit. We need pace and fit players to get around the pitch to play at a high tempo. ‘Last season we were guilty of not playing at the tempo we've been used to. That’ll come back this season.’ And here comes the real crucial item of information: ‘The lads are happy.’ That hasn't always been the case since Harry Redknapp was sacked two years ago, and it’s something that needed to be addressed quickly this summer. Under Villas-Boas there had been more than a whiff of dressing-room dissent. His predecessor decided to play out spats in public. A united front it was not. King can be a tricky individual to read, but his body language when talking about Pochettino is expressive. There is a new philosophy afoot with largely the same squad, a desire to go and emulate Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers. Why not? There is a squad in place, particularly after much-needed additions at the back, that can go and surprise. Role model: Ledley King was appointed as an ambassador for Tottenham after hanging up his boots . The 33-year-old name checks Erik Lamela as someone who has the potential to unlock defences in a new system and an inventor able to ‘flourish’ when given licence. Christian Eriksen is another. But Lamela is the intriguing case. A poster boy for ill-informed decisions in the transfer market, it had looked like his stay in England would be brief. Villas-Boas was too rigid a coach to fully incorporate the Argentine and by the time Sherwood rocked up the dye seemed to have already been cast. Signed for close to £26million last August, Lamela needed time to settle, time to stamp a mark on English football. People within the club truly believe he will thrive under Pochettino. Lamela has now been given that time, something not afforded to managers in north London very often. That’s the main criticism levelled at Daniel Levy, who seems incapable of giving managers the lengthy stint they require. They've gone through eight in 13 years. That impatience, says King, is merely borne out of a desire to get things right. Pochettino has a five-year contract and is seen as a long-term appointment. Although the initial noises were the same with Villas-Boas, it appears the new man will be given a proper go. Redemption: Erik Lamela has yet to live up to his £30million price tag after joining Tottenham last summer . ‘The chairman has done a great job over the years,’ King added. ‘From where we were when I was breaking through to the end of my career has a lot to do with the chairman. He’s driving and trying to make us a top team. ‘We've obviously had a lot of changes but that’s through a chairman who is passionate and wants the team to do well.’ King has a very valid point. The year he made his debut - 1999 - Tottenham finished in the bottom half. Fifteen later that’s unthinkable. ‘Hopefully we’ll go on and win the league in the next few years,’ the club legend said. That’s the power of Pochettino. VIDEO Pochettino happy with players . Ledley King is an ambassador for Barclays. During the 2014/15 season, Barclays will be saying Thank you to all those people who champion the true spirit of the game. Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/BarclaysFootball .
Mauricio Pochettino has already made an impact at Tottenham .
Pre-season training has been tough but enjoyable .
Ledley King backs Erik Lamela to shine this season .
By . Jack Gaughan . Follow @@Jack_Gaughan . The message radiating from White Hart Lane is clear: Tottenham Hotspur are a team transformed. As they look to banish last year to a box marked ‘honest mistakes’, Spurs - under the management of Mauricio Pochettino - go into the new Premier League season refreshed, full of new ideas and with a considerable amount of renewed optimism conspicuous by its absence for a club that spent more than £110million on replacing Gareth Bale. The plan had been to reinvest the world-record fee on building a formidable squad, not reliant on one asset. In the end that hastily assembled group appeared lethargic under Andre Villas-Boas and scattered with Tim Sherwood in charge. A sense of direction wasn't all that evident, Tottenham didn’t know who they were any more. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Christian Eriksen score a brilliant free kick during pre-season . All change: Mauricio Pochettino (centre) is transforming Tottenham's fortunes after taking over this summer . Then in stepped Pochettino. From a relative nobody to one of the country’s most revered coaches in under 18 months, the Argentine hasn’t messed about this pre-season. The squad have been made to work harder than ever before with an emphasis on a high octane programme ensuring they can press higher and for longer. Players are comfortable with, even encouraging, the intensity training; while a change in formation and style will be noticeable in the coming weeks - not least at West Ham on Saturday - it is the mood around the camp that has people at Spurs wired. Ledley King is one of those enthusiasts. A club ambassador and Under 18 coach, the former captain told Sportsmail the tangible effects Pochettino - aided by Jesus Perez and Miguel D’Agostino, who were both coaches at Southampton - has had on an ailing group. ‘The manager has come in and is doing something that most of the players have never done before,’ King said. ‘I've been impressed. Speaking to the players it’s obvious pre-season has been tough but enjoyable. Happy days: Pochettino has brought the smiles back to the faces of the Tottenham players . ‘They can see where the manager wants to go with this. It’s not just hard work for the sake of hard work - it has a motive behind it. They can see why they’re going to have to be fit. We need pace and fit players to get around the pitch to play at a high tempo. ‘Last season we were guilty of not playing at the tempo we've been used to. That’ll come back this season.’ And here comes the real crucial item of information: ‘The lads are happy.’ That hasn't always been the case since Harry Redknapp was sacked two years ago, and it’s something that needed to be addressed quickly this summer. Under Villas-Boas there had been more than a whiff of dressing-room dissent. His predecessor decided to play out spats in public. A united front it was not. King can be a tricky individual to read, but his body language when talking about Pochettino is expressive. There is a new philosophy afoot with largely the same squad, a desire to go and emulate Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers. Why not? There is a squad in place, particularly after much-needed additions at the back, that can go and surprise. Role model: Ledley King was appointed as an ambassador for Tottenham after hanging up his boots . The 33-year-old name checks Erik Lamela as someone who has the potential to unlock defences in a new system and an inventor able to ‘flourish’ when given licence. Christian Eriksen is another. But Lamela is the intriguing case. A poster boy for ill-informed decisions in the transfer market, it had looked like his stay in England would be brief. Villas-Boas was too rigid a coach to fully incorporate the Argentine and by the time Sherwood rocked up the dye seemed to have already been cast. Signed for close to £26million last August, Lamela needed time to settle, time to stamp a mark on English football. People within the club truly believe he will thrive under Pochettino. Lamela has now been given that time, something not afforded to managers in north London very often. That’s the main criticism levelled at Daniel Levy, who seems incapable of giving managers the lengthy stint they require. They've gone through eight in 13 years. That impatience, says King, is merely borne out of a desire to get things right. Pochettino has a five-year contract and is seen as a long-term appointment. Although the initial noises were the same with Villas-Boas, it appears the new man will be given a proper go. Redemption: Erik Lamela has yet to live up to his £30million price tag after joining Tottenham last summer . ‘The chairman has done a great job over the years,’ King added. ‘From where we were when I was breaking through to the end of my career has a lot to do with the chairman. He’s driving and trying to make us a top team. ‘We've obviously had a lot of changes but that’s through a chairman who is passionate and wants the team to do well.’ King has a very valid point. The year he made his debut - 1999 - Tottenham finished in the bottom half. Fifteen later that’s unthinkable. ‘Hopefully we’ll go on and win the league in the next few years,’ the club legend said. That’s the power of Pochettino. VIDEO Pochettino happy with players . Ledley King is an ambassador for Barclays. During the 2014/15 season, Barclays will be saying Thank you to all those people who champion the true spirit of the game. Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/BarclaysFootball .
has been tough but enjoyable. Happy days: 33-year-old name checks Erik Lamela as someone Pochettino happy with players . Ledley King is an