Mauricio Pochettino has talked up his relationship with Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson, explaining that he has a good rapport with the former England boss.
Pochettino takes his Tottenham side to Crystal Palace on Sunday to lock horns with Hodgson's men in a Premier League encounter.
Palace acted early this season to sack former Ajax coach Frank de Boer and bring in Hodgson, with the experienced operator quickly making the Eagles a more competitive unit.
And Pochettino is full of respect for someone with whom he shares a good relationship and has known about for many years.
"I knew and I heard of him when he was at Inter Milan and the Swiss national team", the Tottenham manager told a press conference.
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"I followed him. To have the possibility to meet him when he was national team manager, it was so important.
"We created a very good relationship and I have full respect for him and I appreciate a lot how he was with me.
"For me he’s a great person", Pochettino added.
Recent games between Tottenham and Crystal Palace have been tight affairs, with the last four meetings seeing just one goal apiece, with Spurs winning three and Palace one.
Hodgson will no doubt set his team up to try to stop Tottenham's numerous attacking threats on Sunday.
