text: There was uproar on the south coast when Nicola Cortese sacked local hero Nigel Adkins and replaced him with the relatively unknown Argentine, on English shores at least, Mauricio Pochettino. Adkins had led Southampton to back-to-back promotions into the Barclays Premier League and was fighting valiantly to keep them in it. But Cortese’s decision proved to be an astute one and Pochettino took them to the next level. He increased intensity in training and in matches, altered their style of play, continued their already excellent emphasis on youth and made some shrewd signings. Mauricio Pochettino spent 16 months as Southampton manager before departing to Tottenham . The Argentine manager (right) embraces Ronald Koeman (left) as he took on his former side in October . So much so that 16 months later Daniel Levy saw him as the ideal man to take Tottenham on, too. As Pochettino prepares to return to St Mary’s for the first time since he left, Sportsmail takes a look at how his two tenures compare. YOU DON’T WIN ANYTHING WITH KIDS… . Pochettino came to England with a reputation for bringing through young players - at Espanyol he handed 25 of their youth products a debut. At Southampton he continued to show no fear in throwing them in, giving Premier League debuts to Calum Chambers, who then moved to Arsenal for £16million and has now won senior England caps, and James Ward-Prowse, who is a first-team regular, star of England Under 21s and set for a call up by Roy Hodgson. Pochettino has maintained that approach at Tottenham. He was the first, of many managers who came before, to give Ryan Mason a proper run in the team and this season the player earned a first England cap for his displays. Calum Chambers (left) and James Ward-Prowse (right) both rose to prominence under Pochettino . Harry Kane has flourished under him, too, already around the first team before his arrival albeit, but excelling under Pochettino’s guidance and scoring a sensational 31 goals in all competitions already this season. Nabil Bentaleb is another who has progressed under Pochettino after Tim Sherwood gave him a chance last season, while Pochettino also gave Harry Winks, a 19-year-old midfielder, his first appearance from the bench in the Europa League. Harry Kane has been in sensational form under the former Saints boss this season - scoring 31 times . 2011-12 : 4th (Harry Redknapp as manager) 2012-13 : 5th (Andre Villas-Boas as manager) 2013-14: 6th (Tim Sherwood as manager) 2014-15 *currently 7th (Mauricio Pochettino) LUNG-BUSTING TRAINING . Training sessions under Pochettino have become almost mythical. Speak to any player who has worked under him and they all recall gruelling double and triple sessions, all throughout pre-season and maintained regularly during the campaign. At Southampton when he first arrived he took the team to a Portuguese boot camp and made the players, leading himself by example, walk over hot coals. Not satisfied by their fitness levels, during that first pre-season there would be frequent triple sessions, from 10am-midday, from 2pm-4pm and from 6pm-8pm. During the season, in a typical week he would insist on hard sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesday - often double or triple. On the pitch, it got results. Mauricio Pochettino (left) has deployed strict and grueling training methods at both Spurs and Southampton . It appears there is more of the same at Spurs. ‘There’s not been a good moment in pre-season, if I’m honest,’ Harry Kane said earlier this season. ‘There were double sessions, times when you were pushing yourself to the limit, but you’re doing it for a reason. This is the reason that you’re seeing now.’ Team-mate Moussa Dembele echoed that sentiment, adding: ‘The training sessions are hard, we feel already that we have become more and more fit and that’s very good for us.’ PASSING AND PRESSING PHILOSOPHY . Like many managers, Pochettino has a certain philosophy and is relentlessly demanding that it is reflected on the pitch. At goal kicks the centre halves drop wide around the penalty area, the full backs push 40 yards up the pitch and one of the two central midfielders moves to the edge of the box, giving the goalkeeper options to pass everywhere. A passing and pressing philosophy has been deployed by Pochettino throughout his managerial career . When they are not in possession, pressing is expected high up the pitch - hence the punishing pursuit of supreme fitness levels in training. Tottenham players have taken a while to get used to it, longer than it took Southampton players when Pochettino was first in charge. But there have been signs, when they were beaten once in 10 games and were challenging for the Champions League, that it can work there. ENHANCING INDIVIDUALS . In Pochettino’s role as ‘head coach’ as opposed to all-round manager he has more time to work with individuals, if they go to him desiring to improve their game. Two of Southampton’s current stars, Jay Rodriguez and Nathaniel Clyne, credit the 43-year-old for their progression. ‘He brought the best out of me and gave me self-belief,’ Rodriguez said after his departure. ‘To work with him was brilliant, it was hard work but the lads loved it and we got results. Nathaniel Clyne (left) has credited Pochettino for his development while he was in charge . Jay Rodriguez says Pochettino gave him the 'self belief' to develop as a player . ‘His tactical awareness gave you confidence, you wanted to go out for him because he’s such a great guy. You can talk to him. The players respected him so much.’ Clyne said: ‘He’d have us pressing high, keeping a high line, receiving the ball in difficult situations, keeping possession and basically having the confidence to play football rather than being afraid. 'The understanding in our defence was down to our training. Personally, it took my game to another level.’ UNPROVEN TRANSFER RECORD . The transfer success-rate at both clubs has been similar; solid but not outstanding. At Southampton he made very few - Dejan Lovren proved a snip at £8.5m and was sold on for double that. Victor Wanyama seemed pricey at £12.5m but is one of their most consistent performers and will turn a profit if he moves on soon. Dani Osvaldo cost £15m and ended up attacking a team-mate. Victor Wanyama was a big-money signing from Pochettino, but has turned out to be a success . Equally, at Spurs Eric Dier at £4m looks like a future England international, whereas Ben Davies for £10m could prove too much. Teenager Dele Alli is likely to be a steal at £5m. The others - Michel Vorm, Deandre Yedlin, Federico Fazio and Benjamin Stambouli - are yet to shine. BROKEN ENGLISH . Pochettino would barely ever speak to the press - in TV, radio or to print journalists - in English while he was at Southampton. They employed translator David Salas. Yet occasionally when he was talking after pre-match press conferences, with the cameras and microphones off, he would talk in perfectly understandable English. At Tottenham from the very start he conducted entire press conferences in English and has trusted assistant Jesus Perez to occasionally turn to for help with any misunderstanding. The Spurs boss has spoken in English in his entire press conferences at Tottenham .
target: Mauricio Pochettino returns to former side Southampton for the first time since leaving last summer .
  The Tottenham boss done an excellent job during his 16 month spell .
  The Argentine manager has adopted the same methods at Spurs as he did during his time at St Mary's .
  Pochettino blooded the likes of Calum Chambers and James Ward-Prowse while at Southampton, and has done the same with Harry Kane at Spurs .
  His passing and pressing philosophy has taken a while for his new set of players to adjust to, though .