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Jose Mourinho

How do you feel about Mourinho appointment

  • Excited - silverware here we come baby

    Votes: 666 46.7%
  • Meh - will give him a chance and hope he is successful

    Votes: 468 32.8%
  • Horrified - praying for the day he'll fuck off

    Votes: 292 20.5%

  • Total voters
    1,426

Gspurs11

Well-Known Member
Aug 19, 2012
1,949
8,674
There's no chance Mourinho leaves at the end of the season, because it looks like Levy fucked up appointing him.

One thing is for sure, we need a rebuild sooner rather than later, even if Levy refuses to admit it by appointing Jose to try and breathe life into an ailing squad.

Do I want Mourinho to be in charge of that rebuild? No, as the squad will probably be unfit for the next ‘project’ manager that comes in and he’ll have to rebuild again.
 
Last edited:
Jan 31, 2006
2,184
6,495
Remember when Poch was struggling at the beginning and he made the brave decision to go with the younger players and ditched the trouble makers/average players?

Perhaps it's time Jose just tried to introduce something that might freshen everything up?

So in midfield, focus on Skipp, GLC, Winks, Fernandes, possibly Ndombele. Bergwijn, Son, Kane as forward options. Ditch Aurier and try a young right back (KWP ?) etc...
 

ILS

Well-Known Member
Jun 21, 2008
3,803
6,913
My issue listening to that interview today along with previous ones; Both himself and Levy think due to the Pandemic there is going to be a significant impact on the way the transfer window is going to be approached by clubs in respect of fees. I think it is wishful thinking on both their parts as everything I have seen so far suggests otherwise. Teams might not sign an additional player they have on the list but the fees are not dropping to the levels Levy wants.

So in essence we are screwed as its not like we are going out there to try find rough diamonds before others due to piss poor scouting. We just now have to live of scraps at the end of the window nobody else wants.
 

danielneeds

Kick-Ass
May 5, 2004
24,179
48,764
My issue listening to that interview today along with previous ones; Both himself and Levy think due to the Pandemic there is going to be a significant impact on the way the transfer window is going to be approached by clubs in respect of fees. I think it is wishful thinking on both their parts as everything I have seen so far suggests otherwise. Teams might not sign an additional player they have on the list but the fees are not dropping to the levels Levy wants.

So in essence we are screwed as its not like we are going out there to try find rough diamonds before others due to piss poor scouting. We just now have to live of scraps at the end of the window nobody else wants.
Yeah, and you can just imagine Levy’s response if somebody rang him up and asked for a “reduced COVID-19 special deal” for one of our players.
 

JCRD

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2018
19,153
30,013
I would be surprised if Jose leaves at the end of the season.


But you wouldnt be shocked if he left in the summer... i certainly wouldnt be surprised nor shocked whatsoever... mainly because id think Jose would want money and Levy would say well Corona so no
 

Metalhead

But that's a debate for another thread.....
Nov 24, 2013
25,351
38,294
Weren’t there rumors that Uncle Joe was unhappy about Levy appointing him? Or was that just wishful thinking?
I’m not sure. There is a lot of wishful thinking in terms of people wanting Jose gone. It is possible - maybe ITK would know.
 

stormfly

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2006
4,584
11,990
Weren’t there rumors that Uncle Joe was unhappy about Levy appointing him? Or was that just wishful thinking?

I have vague recollections of an ITK saying Levy wanted another ‘project’ manager but the boys at the top pushed for Jose?
 

MindOverMatter

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2019
481
1,367
While I agree we have been far too soft in the media for ages it amazes me that players no longer chew each other out.
How can any player not turn to Sanchez at the end of that match and say 'mate, wtf was that? You need to step up or fk off.'
If you defended like that in a pub team you'd be benched.
Exactly 100% correct in my eyes! (y)
 

MindOverMatter

Well-Known Member
May 21, 2019
481
1,367
There's no chance Mourinho leaves at the end of the season, because it looks like Levy fucked up appointing him.

One thing is for sure, we need a rebuild sooner rather than later, even if Levy refuses to admit it by appointing Jose to try and breathe life into an ailing squad.

Do I want Mourinho to be in charge of that rebuild? No, as the squad will probably be unfit for the next ‘project’ manager that comes in and he’ll have to rebuild again.
Why would you not want him for the rebuild? We may be in bad form at the moment but what some people need to realise is that Jose is a proven winner. He is someone that will get the job done however he seems fit, he’s won trophies everywhere. Okay he only normally sticks around for 3 years but I’d take him for 3 years and win something, Prem, champions league, europa even FA for all I care, over taking someone like Eddie Howe for 6 years and win nothing but that wouldn’t matter because we’ve got ‘better’ and everyone’s ‘happy’. He may have caused chaos at Man Utd but he still won europa with them, there’s a reason he’s called the Special One
 

Spartan Spurs

MOLLON LAVEH
May 20, 2015
279
905
Hi, first post so please be gentle.

I think that the issue is 100% with Levy and Lewis. Jose whilst in my opinion the total wrong man for the job isn't at fault for that.

The club needs to decide what it wants to be. Look at us from afar. Best football stadium in the world, huge Nike kit deal, Englands superstar upfront. Also and this is silly but its true. You know the covers we currently have over the seats? They're pretty uniform throughout the league except sponsors and colours. Compare our sponsors. Its not full of unknown Asian betting companies but has the logos of Audi, Cadburys, William Hill. Big brands known over the world. Top that off with the worlds most famous football manager .

Everything to the outsider screams massive club up there with the madrids and Barcelonas of this world.

And then look at how we run our football team. As successful as levy has been off the field on it he has been a failure. We have grown yes but its been a slow painful process without trophies and seen careers killed.

He has to make a choice. If he wants the jose Mourinho superstar aura then you have to give jose mourinho what he always got when he won titles. Lots and lots of money. I agree with those who think jose is past his best but he could deliver trophies if we give him the cash. Look at united. Half a billion quid to get a second place and two secondary trophies. Don't get me wrong id take that but I think we all know and accept that jose Mourinho isn't going to get that cash here.

Whats the alternative?. Get back to what brought us to the dance. Invest in young players. Id love Levy to stay out of footballing matters in which he has zero business being involved in. We have to get in a proper director of football. Copy that dortmund model. The dof has to have a large extensive scouting team that he chooses and he also should choose the coach.

Tottenham fans are pretty patient. 19 years with one carling cup. Manager after manager screwed over in the transfer market all the while he charges the highest prices in Europe and treats the football team that were all here for as a nuisance in his brand building so I think we would accept a model based on investing in exciting youngsters and logical football decisions.

Right now though were doing nothing that makes sense. Starve our best manager for decades of backing in the transfer market. Finally invest but sack him before he gets a chance to bed them in and then hire someone who has a philosophy that doesn't match with yours or the fans whatsoever. Its baffling. Add to the awful social media presence ( boasting constantly about the stadium we can't visit a day after another loss isn't clever) and you have a club without a solid philosophy or plan.

Enic aren't selling and even if they were the money that they would ask for is so insane we would only get the ultimate in souless investment fund types so I dont see the point in screaming levy out but we can have a voice and let him know that this isn't good enough.

Finally just a reminder before anyone defends him. Only a few months ago he did an interview telling the fans to not be obsessed with transfers and spending money and not everyone can win trophies.

The highest paid chairman in the Premier league charging the highest ticket prices in the world said that. That says all you need to know about his priorities

Great first post.
 

Spartan Spurs

MOLLON LAVEH
May 20, 2015
279
905
I don't expect Jose to go anytime soon for various reasons.

As stated before, style of play aside, he wasn't my first choice as I didn't see the compatibility between him & Levy.
I can understand why Levy would pick him as he's one of the highest profile managers around & he was available.

But if Jose was to go, I wouldn't mind taking a punt on a manager at the opposite end of the tactical spectrum.

Gian Piero Gasperini of the once lowly Atalanta of Serie A.
He's not young but he's progressive.
He's got them playing phenomenal attacking football that's quite exciting. Players are wanting the ball & constantly pouring forward.
Plenty of off the ball movement & intricate interplay.
They press high & hard.
It's high risk with high reward but they also give up their fair share too.

They're sitting comfortably in 4th this season & are only 4 points behind Inter in 3rd.
As of interest, they're the highest scoring team with 82 goals in 29 games. That's 16 more than Lazio in 2nd & Atalanta has a game in hand.
Now I mentioned that they play high risk & leak goals themselves BUT they also have the best goal differential in Serie A.

In the CL Round of 16. they beat Valencia on aggregate 8-4 & are now into the QF.

I'd prefer that kind of play as opposed to 30% possession.

Anyway, hope Jose can turn this around to be a success.
 

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,956
I don't expect Jose to go anytime soon for various reasons.

As stated before, style of play aside, he wasn't my first choice as I didn't see the compatibility between him & Levy.
I can understand why Levy would pick him as he's one of the highest profile managers around & he was available.

But if Jose was to go, I wouldn't mind taking a punt on a manager at the opposite end of the tactical spectrum.

Gian Piero Gasperini of the once lowly Atalanta of Serie A.
He's not young but he's progressive.
He's got them playing phenomenal attacking football that's quite exciting. Players are wanting the ball & constantly pouring forward.
Plenty of off the ball movement & intricate interplay.
They press high & hard.
It's high risk with high reward but they also give up their fair share too.

They're sitting comfortably in 4th this season & are only 4 points behind Inter in 3rd.
As of interest, they're the highest scoring team with 82 goals in 29 games. That's 16 more than Lazio in 2nd & Atalanta has a game in hand.
Now I mentioned that they play high risk & leak goals themselves BUT they also have the best goal differential in Serie A.

In the CL Round of 16. they beat Valencia on aggregate 8-4 & are now into the QF.

I'd prefer that kind of play as opposed to 30% possession.

Anyway, hope Jose can turn this around to be a success.

Im probably forgetting an obvious one, but when was the last successful Italian manager in English football? Mancini I guess. Usually they don’t travel well though do they?
 

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,956
Good article on Mourinho in today's The Athletic, here it is in full

"" Mourinho's not leaving so what should Tottenham do now?

After a season spent clinging on to the idea that somehow despite everything,
Champions League qualification might somehow be possible, Thursday night felt like the moment the dream died once and for all.

Come the end of the season Spurs will surely have failed to reach Europe’s top competition for the first time since finishing fifth in 2014-15. They are seven points off the top five and even the Europa League looks a stretch at the moment for Jose Mourinho’s ninth-placed side.

What then needs to change?

How can Tottenham rebuild a dysfunctional side that 13 months ago was contesting the Champions League final?

The first thing to say is that Mourinho is not going anywhere. He is on a lucrative, long-term deal and will be given time to turn this around. So it’s up to him to find solutions, and these are the key areas he must address.

Fix the defence

Tottenham have kept four clean sheets in 28 matches under Mourinho and conceded 38 goals. For a manager who built his reputation on defensive organisation, these are extremely troubling numbers.

A month or so after he arrived, some of the squad were surprised by Mourinho’s emphasis on general shape work rather than more specific defensive drills, and whatever he has done on the training ground doesn’t seem to have paid off.

Against Sheffield United, Spurs defended dreadfully, especially for the second and third goals when they allowed their opponents far too much time in the box.

As far as the transfer market goes, Tottenham will listen to offers for Serge Aurier at the end of the season and hope to replace him with Norwich’s Max Aarons, though Mourinho is understood to have reservations that he is too small. But even if a deal for Aarons is possible, he will not be a panacea for a defence that has been shaky for coming up to two years now.

Spurs also need to make a decision on the future of now first-choice centre-back Eric Dier whose contract expires next summer and who wants to stay at the club but only if he is offered a suitable contract.

And what of Toby Alderweireld?

From signing a new and unusually long contract for a 30-year-old at Tottenham in December, he hasn’t played a minute since the restart.

In reality, Spurs’ struggles at the back go beyond just the defence, with the team requiring far better overall structure.

Protect the back four

A major reason for the team’s increased vulnerability from the start of last season onwards was the decline and subsequent departure of Mousa Dembele. It is not a coincidence that since he left in mid-January 2019, Spurs have kept one away clean sheet in the Premier League.

Spurs don’t control games in the same way anymore and have been trying to find a central midfield that works ever since. Giovani Lo Celso has been excellent this season, but he would be even better with a partner who allows him to play further forward and worry less about the defensive side of the game. Against Sheffield United, Lo Celso was frequently stationed behind Sissoko, who lacks the Argentine’s composure in the final third.

Tottenham will look to address their lack of defensive midfielder by attempting to sign Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton in the summer. Hojbjerg is a genuine ball-winner — no outfielder in the Premier League tops his 10.6 recoveries per game this season — and so he would give Tottenham something they have been lacking. The Athletic understands no agreement has been reached but there is confidence a deal will be struck.

That though was based on Spurs qualifying for Europe and, even if a deal for Hojbjerg remains possible, failing to do so would change the overall calibre of players they are able to bring in.

Manage a tight budget and motivate the players

Speaking of bringing players in, Mourinho and Spurs will not be able to spend their way out of this slump. The coronavirus crisis, money being paid back to broadcasters and the absence of matchday crowds has already left Tottenham estimating losses of more than £200 million of revenue in the period from the start of lockdown to June 2021.

Missing out on the Champions League will be another major financial blow and one that will leave them weakened in the transfer market and at risk of falling further behind their rivals.
Levy has ruled out selling the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli in the summer to fund a squad overhaul, and so Mourinho will have to prove he is still able to maximise the talents of his existing players.

Finding a way to get the most out of record signing Tanguy Ndombele would be a major step in the right direction in this regard, but as The Athletic reported last week he will look to leave if he doesn’t start playing before the end of the campaign. Paris Saint-Germain, who he nearly joined last summer and who are interested in a permanent deal, is his most likely destination. Barcelona also retain an interest but could only afford a loan. Many of Ndombele’s team-mates believe him to be the most talented player in the squad and have noted an increased intensity in training in the past weeks. So all is not lost yet.

A reduced transfer budget might also require Mourinho to promote more of the club’s youngsters. Japhet Tanganga has become a first-team regular this season, and in Oliver Skipp, Troy Parrott and Dennis Cirkin, among others, Spurs do have young talent that could make an impact.

If in the worst-case scenario Spurs have nothing to play for in the last few games of the season, then they may even get their chance in the coming weeks.

Improve the mentality

After Thursday’s defeat at Sheffield United, Mourinho appeared to question the mentality of his players. “You have to be ready to cope with negative moments and go until the last minute,” he said. “In spite of my efforts in the dressing room, now I feel I know more about the profile of my players. I felt that in the second half we wouldn’t be strong enough to cope with a team that when they’re winning just defends and counter-attacks. So congratulations to them.”

Mourinho’s comments drew criticism but the mentality of the team has been an issue all season. The implosions against Bayern Munich and Brighton were painful to watch, and sources close to the dressing room comment on the lack of strong leaders.
It’s also true though that it’s the job of the manager to change the players’ psychology, and this emotional intelligence has traditionally been Mourinho’s great strength. This ties into the question about whether he can connect with the young players of today in the way he could with those of a decade or so ago.

It’s also the case that Spurs’ players displayed the mental fortitude to come back from 3-0 down in a Champions League semi-final 14 months ago so clearly they possess a strength of character when effectively motivated.

Develop a discernible style

Privately Mourinho has preached evolution not revolution in his first season, and he is said to be conscious of the club’s attacking traditions. This would explain his often uncharacteristically offensive line-ups, including at Bramall Lane on Thursday.

But you would be hard-pressed to define what kind of a style Mourinho’s Spurs play with. Are they a pressing team? A counter-attacking team? One that likes to dominate possession?

Given he joined midway through the season and took over a side going through an identity crisis, he can be forgiven for it taking time for things to come together. And we should remember that even Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola took a while to hit their stride at Liverpool and Manchester City.

That’s why it’s unrealistic to expect these fixes to happen instantly. They won’t. But a day after Spurs’ Champions League hopes for next season surely died, everything must be aimed at getting back there. ""

I couldn’t face reading that yesterday. It’s a fair overview though.

I just hope there’s a plan, but I just can’t help but feel we are operating on the fly. It all needs reorganising behind the scenes, we all know that. We haven’t replaced McDermott yet and the fact that we didn’t have a replacement lined up makes me think it’s organised chaos behind the scenes. There’s no reports of us looking to do anything there either, which makes me think that nothing is happening on that front. If there were, we would of heard about it.
 

buckley

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2012
2,595
6,073
Just a thought on 6 Players that are on a free or in the last year of their contract and a few that may be relegated and therefore clubs may have to sell cheap.
Fraser bournemouth out of contract
Ferguson WBA out of contract
Willian Chelsea out of contract
Hoijberg Southampton final year of contract
Cantwell Norwich almost certain ly relegated
Aaorons Norwich .
IF these six were say supplanted for
Ferguson for left back (free) those that do not know he is a WBA player
AAorons for Aurier Fee involved
Hoijberg in exchange for a holding midfielder we do not possess fee involved
Willian for Sissoko (free)
Fraser for Moura(free)
Cantwell for energy in midfield ( insert whoever ) Fee involved
So 6 in 6 out and in my opinion we would be the better for such moves without spending a fortune.
The transfer fees for Moura Aurier Sissoko would more than cover the cost of these players and we may even have a few bob to buy a special player.
 

rossdapep

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2011
21,905
78,640
I think we also missed a trick by not selling players in a proper way and buying their replacements. I had no problem when we sold Walker as we got big money for him actually at the end but we bought Foyth and Aurier with that money, look where those two players are now? Also I think we needed to sell Rose when he was on top form and use the money creatively on buying attacking left backs who are on their prime rather than chasing kids like Sessgnon. There's no denying Sessgnon is a top prospect but can Sess replace prime Rose at this moment? No not possible. We needed to buy players who are 22 to 24 years old. Not kids like 19 or 20 years old and expect them to replace Rose, Walker at the same season. City sold Sane, Chelsea always in buy and sell for lot of players, city every season has two or three big name signings and also they let their players go when it is time but we are still stuck with Dele, Toby, Vert, Sissoko ... We sold Eriksen when he has only 6 months left on his contract whereas we could have brought one of Barkley or Grealish in 2018 and gradually replaced Eriksen. But we didn't do it. Players like Sissoko, Toby, Rose, Davies, Dele, Lamela, Winks simply stagnated due to not having proper challenge from the other players in their positions. Both Rose , Walker elevated their games when we bought Trippier and Davies. Till then, Rose and Walker were not consistent. Kane stagnated slowly because of lack of competition for his position. Even Aguero don't know whether he is going to play in tomorrow's match or not.

We are now also making the same mistake with RB position. We are chasing another 19-20 years old kid Aarons and we will expect him to do what Walker did in his prime. But it will be not possible for him to emulate Walker at his prime. He atleast need two season to do that barring any injury. So next season, we will also see up and down performance from our right back players unless we buy a solid, proven RB... Also does Davies gets scared for his position by seeing Ryan Sessgnon as his only competitors at the back? Will Davies have extra motivation in training to impress his coach?

Only good thing I have seen so far is we are looking at 24 years old premier league proven Defensive Midfielder who seem to have leadership ability as well. That's a step in right direction for that position.
We do what we've always done. Sell high and then scramble around for bargains.

Now you can find bargains but there as to be a strategy. Foyth was a player with very limited professional experience, Aurier was an unwanted player at PSG - no consistency or cohesion in that plan.

The only time Levy really was proactive and spent big was when he signed Ndombele and that's because we were getting the CL money.
 
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