Former Tottenham winger Erik Lamela has started his coaching journey in a unique fashion over in Mexico, a year after retiring from football.
Tottenham Hotspur fan favourite Erik Lamela has enjoyed a pretty robust career, having managed spells in England, Italy, Spain and Argentina.
However, it was at Spurs that he spent most of his playing career, making 257 appearances, scoring 37 goals and managing 46 assists.
Sadly, injuries played a big part in the impact Lamela had on Spurs, and it continued that way for most of his career, with the Argentine forced to hang up his boots at 34 last summer after two hip surgeries.
Tottenham legend Erik Lamela takes first steps into coaching in Mexico
Lamela’s love for the beautiful game, however, remains intact as he continues to be involved in football 12 months on from his retirement.
According to a report from The Sun, the former Spurs winger is currently doing his coaching badges in Mexico with Monterrey.
However, with the 34‑year‑old having not yet obtained the required licence to be called a coach, he is currently having to earn his badges in the guise of a kit man, despite operating as an assistant coach.
At the moment, though, he cannot hold the official title of coach because he lacks the required licence under Article 17.1 of Liga MX statutes.
Other former Spurs players exploring post‑retirement roles
Lamela may well not be the only former Tottenham man dabbling in football after retirement. It was reported earlier this year that Toby Alderweireld was open to taking up a role at Spurs as they look to get back to competing with some of the very best.
Ben Davies, who has a year left on his Tottenham contract, has also been tipped to get into coaching at some point as well.
Meanwhile, Sandro was linked with a coaching role as part of Roberto De Zerbi’s staff when the Italian was first appointed as Tottenham boss.
The involvement of several former players in coaching roles could prove valuable for Spurs in the future, especially if they choose to hire someone who knows the club inside out.