Tuesday 28 May 2019 10:51, UK
Five years on from his appointment as Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino found himself making a grand-staircase entrance in front of the world’s media.
With a Spurs branded t-shirt and a jumper tied loosely around his neck, all eyes were on the Argentine as he strolled down from the balcony that overlooked the main platform.
His Tottenham players have certainly taken centre stage in this season's Champions League, and such was the demand for them the reception area of Hotspur Way had been transformed into a makeshift news conference.
Almost 200 journalists, camera operators and producers had been accredited to attend, while outside car park attendants directed visitors past the perfectly-presented trees, pristine pitches and a plush putting green.
Extra sandwiches had been ordered by the club and UEFA, and Spurs officials were helpfully on hand to make sure the day would run smoothly. It was announced that the nearby toilets would close for the duration of Pochettino's broadcast duties because of the threat of unwanted hand-dryer noise.
There was no blowing of hot air in the news conference, just a selfless and concise motivational message.
"We can write our history," Pochettino told his audience.
"Today nothing is more important than the game we have ahead."
For Spurs the magnitude of this week is beginning to hit home like a Harry Kane thunderbolt. Not that the players are letting it show as they appeared for their own media commitments. They took it in their stride and the 'just another game' attitude to their answers is testament to the focus and psychology instilled in them.
Kane was first out of the blocks and immediately mobbed. Not surprisingly he faced a few questions about his level of fitness but his appearance over the course of an hour-long training session soon put to bed any fears of him not featuring on Saturday.
Lucas Moura clearly had the most to say and was the last of the players to leave the area. The Brazilian was given a nudge by the Tottenham communications team with a gentle reminder that he was late for a team meeting. You can forgive him for wanting to reminisce!
After the meeting it was time for training. Kane and Harry Winks looked sharp, showed no signs of shirking physical contact and generally appeared at ease with their in-game scenarios such as explosive change of direction and stop-start movements.
Winks did hesitate briefly but only to settle a competitive rondo-training-drill-dispute with Kieran Trippier by playing a game of rock-paper-scissors. A paper stalemate kicked off proceedings before Trippier's rock defeated the scissors motion made by Winks and off he went to the middle of the circle as Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Kane and Danny Rose watched on.
The session consisted of fun-looking drills that focused on hitting targets - three points for top corner, one for bottom - as three teams competed against each other, while Dier made a well-timed sliding block to deny Trippier in another keenly-contested rondo!
There is more training today before they fly to Madrid but as a manic Monday concluded at Hotspur Way, the 'To Dare Is To Do' motto clearly visible on the wall, it did so with typical efficiency.
Pochettino's temporary press facilities were dismantled and cleared in what could have been viewed as a small symbol for what the club has become, for what Pochettino is striving for beyond this final. They no longer like to stand still here, and one more mammoth team effort could result in them being crowned Champions of Europe.
