Pochettino says Spurs have future bright after N'Koudou goal gives victory over AC Milan

Tottenham Hotspur remain unbeaten over 90 minutes in pre-season as they get better of Serie A side in friendly at Minneapolis

Tottenham Hotspur's Frensh defender Georges-Kevin N'Koudou (C) shoots the ball during the International Champions Cup friendly football match between AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 31, 2018.  / AFP PHOTO / STEPHEN MATUREN
Powered by automated translation

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino thinks the club's future looks bright after they rounded off their United States tour with victory against AC Milan.

Georges-Kevin N'Koudou scored the only goal as Spurs closed their International Champions Cup campaign with a 1-0 win in Minneapolis.

Pochettino's side have beaten Roma 4-1 and drawn 2-2 with Barcelona - a match they then lost on penalties - despite missing most of their first-choice XI due to World Cup exploits.

Davinson Sanchez started the game while Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-min came off the bench, but none of the club's nine players involved in the World Cup semi-finals have been involved on the tour.

In their absence, the likes of development squad players Luke Amos, George Marsh and Oliver Skipp have all taken the chance to impress Pochettino.

"I want to congratulate all the academy coaches and staff," Pochettino told Spurs' website. "They need to feel very proud about the youngsters. They behaved really well, performed fantastic.

______________

Read more

Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs playing catch-up in transfer business again

Pochettino 'not complaining' about Tottenham's World Cup missing list

Premier League transfer window: All new signings for 2018/19 season

______________

"I think they showed a bright future in our academy and they showed that the job that they are doing in the last 10, 12, 15 years, the coaches in the academy, is great.

"I want to congratulate them because the youngsters not only showed a great performance on the pitch, we feel very proud of how they behaved outside of the pitch, too.

"It's good to feel proud. They feel the club and now they need to keep working."

Victory against their Serie A opponents on Tuesday night was secured when N'Koudou scored early in the second half.

Pochettino added: "I am happy with the performance more than the result.

"To compete against a very good side, just like Barcelona and Roma, and to gain that experience for a lot of youngsters is fantastic."

Tottenham travel to face Girona in Spain on Saturday before starting their Premier League campaign away to Newcastle a week later.