Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele admits he had to work very hard to find his motivation at the club.
Ndombele was one of the last big money signings of Mauricio Pochettino at the club, but the Argentine was soon replaced by Jose Mourinho.
The Portuguese struggled to get through to Ndombele last term, but the penny appears to have dropped with the French midfielder this season.
He said, per The Sun: "Well, yeah, that French expression ["qui j'aime bien chatie bien" or tough love] stands — we do say that about the way people are with each other.
"But sometimes the words can be too hard or too harsh when you speak that way.
"When you speak that way it is obviously going to have an effect — and it created for me a war in my head. It was difficult to take."
Ndombele added: "I think the coach's management of me was good — in the sense that he brought me back slowly with appearances for 60, 65, 70 minutes.
"That helped me get into a rhythm and now I'm in great shape. I think I am doing better this season on several fronts — primarily no injury.
"I'm also understanding my team-mates better.
"I've got a strong grasp of what the coach wants from me and that has contributed to this positive frame of mind."
