Mauricio Pochettino’s ‘painful rebuild’ at Tottenham has come to fruition under Ange Postecoglou

Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino warned fans their rebuild would be 'painful' months before he got the sack.

He wasn't wrong. And four years later, Spurs have finally got a squad worth getting excited about with new manager Ange Postecoglou reaping the rewards.

Flash back to May 2019 and Pochettino told the Spurs faithful they were set to go thorough a 'painful' period in his bid to create a new chapter at the club.

Just a month later, he took Tottenham to the Champions League final where they lost against Liverpool, with fans of the belief that they would assemble a star-studded squad to become regular European powerhouses.

But Pochettino was given Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso, Jack Clarke and Ryan Sessegnon and faltering stars remained unsold — it ultimately cost him his job.

A 2-2 home draw against Sheffield United in November left Spurs languishing in 14th spot in the Premier League, leading the 51-year-old to swiftly be sacked.

It was a decision that infuriated fans in hindsight, with the subsequent appointments of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte ending in spectacular fashion.

The arrivals of serial winners Mourinho and Conte were expected to end Spurs' trophy drought, but they both failed — while their defensive style of play was totally against the club's attacking philosophy.

Spurs ultimately opted for a new approach when finding Conte's successor — a project manager with the aim of delivering long-term success as opposed to a quick-fix.

Chairman Daniel Levy may not get a lot right in the eyes of supporters, but his appointment of Postecoglou has rejuvenated the fanbase.

While rival fans mocked the hiring of the ex-Celtic boss, Levy was confident he was the right man to bring the good