April 5 represented a painful and unfair end to the season for Jay Rodriguez. After a brilliant campaign for Southampton where he netted 15 league goals, the third highest amount by an Englishmen, the attacker was stretched off against Manchester City after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. Prior to that, Rordriguez had been in contention to make Roy Hodgsons squad for the World Cup. Despite struggling on his international debut against Chile, the Southampton mans club form greatly exceeded that of Danny Welbeck and meant he had a good chance of making the plane. The fact that Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Rickie Lambert all made the 23-man squad and Rodriguez didnt is a cruel blow for him, while also demonstrating that he would have been close to a call up. Spurs were already thought to be leading the case to sign Rodriguez and the arrival of Pochettino is only likely to aid their cause. Arsenal and Liverpool are also reportedly interested, but you have to think the 24-year-old would prefer a reunion with his former boss. Under Pochettino last season, Rodriguez netted double the number of goals compared to his first season with Southampton. Those goals would add some much need fire power to Spurs, who were the seventh top scorers in the league last season as opposed to being fifth the year before.
Simon is an NCTJ qualified sports journalist. He has conducted interviews with Tony Adams and Peter Shilton, while also having work published in The Daily Telegraph and The Sun. Follow him on Twitter via @sr_collings.
