Many odd things have been happening in what has been the start of the Great British summer: the sun has actually been shining, there's optimism over the English football team and a lizard-like guy called Farage seems to have replaced Kate Middleton as the nation's darling. However, one thing that you can always rely upon is that there is a new man in the Tottenham Hotspur managerial hot seat.
Let's be honest we all knew it was coming a few games into the season when although results were going Andre Villas Boas way the style was not what is required for success at White Hart Lane. The only thing that was perhaps surprising was that the end of season switch over would be the second of the year.
Tim Sherwood brought a fresh approach to the Lane. A wry smile here, a blunt one liner there and a maverick Togolese striker somewhere in between meant all was rosy for a while. Bet let's be honest once again, we all knew Tim wasn't going to make it through the managerial wasteland which is a Premier League summer break.
So who was the next in Levy's line to bring the glory days back to Spurs? Mauricio Pochettino was the answer, and are we surprised this time? Probably not.
Personally, I'm excited by the appointment. Pochettino favours the high tempo, pressing game and that's something we haven't seen at The Lane for a long time. If he could put out a team week in week out that looks like it's hungry for the ball then I'll be happy. All too often since AVB joined the circus we've looked like a team that's disinterested. Happy to pass the ball around sideways in midfield but with not enough gumption to go and get the ball back when they inevitably lose it. Determination and energy, at least visually has been lacking for too long.
The question is- will the players currently in the Tottenham squad be up for that challenge? Pochettino is famed for his arduous training regimes and quite frankly can you imagine Emmanuel Adebayor being happy with that arrangement? To be fair to the big striker, during Sheerwood's tenure he gave the impression of a man reinvented, who would give everything for his commander-in-chief. But we all know that state of mind is temporary for Adebayor. One of Pochettino's biggest challenges will be to keep Adebaoyor happy or possibly just as challenging given his wage demands, to get rid of him. AVB failed in that respect and paid with is head.
The other positive of Mauricio Pochettino's appointment is his track record at bringing through youngsters. We saw at Southampton a whole host of young English talent flourishing, so much so that many of them are expected to leave this summer for big money. There are a number of young players at Tottenham who could do with some guidance to reach their full potential with Andros Townsend and Tom Carroll being just two to have shown glimpses of promise in the past. If Tim Sheerwood is to be believed (and to be fair to him he was well respected for his role in youth development at the club) there is a plethora of uncapped talent waiting for first team opportunities.
This is perhaps, although the most promising facet of Pochettino being hired also the most unnerving. Managers are not given very long to prosper at White Hart Lane, hiring a manager who focuses on youth development would sound fantastic for most other clubs but if Spurs are not in the top four by Christmas will Daniel Levy's well worn axe leave the squad in more dissary than it already is?