Mauricio Pochettino speaks for the first time on his Tottenham exit

The Argentine was sacked by Daniel Levy after five and a half months in charge of the North London club.

Pochettino experienced a tough start to the new season just months after guiding the club to their first ever appearance in the Champions League final against Liverpool.

He left the club in fourteenth place in the Premier League table and has admitted that it was an honour for him to be the manager of Tottenham Hotspur.

“Five-and-a-half years, that was so, so, so tough,” Pochettino told The Associated Press.

“The journey was amazing. I don’t need to talk about what happened … only that it was an honor for me to be at Tottenham.”

The 47-year-old said that he only has good memories of his time at Tottenham whilst admitting he found it tough.

Pochettino guided the club to four successive top four finishes, but his track record was not enough to save him from the sack in today’s modern era of football where clubs are now businesses and the financial rewards which Champions League football can bring.

“You need a result today, it’s not important what happened the past,” Pochettino said. “But for us and for the fans, of course, it is so important what happened in the past.

“But, yes, we need to accept that this is a different football, a different business, and we need to adapt today because young men, coaches that we need to adapt to a work for the company, need to accept that new era of football.”

“Five-and-a-half years working in Tottenham was a very enjoyable time, a very nice journey and I only keep good memories,” Pochettino added.

“I think what happened in the past, happened in the past and now moving on is the best for everyone. That is happening in life and happening in football.”