With Spurs and Jose Mourinho reportedly nearing a deal, the FC panel wonder how Mourinho will fit at the club.
The bookies' favourite to take over for Mauricio Pochettino is Jose Mourinho. Would he make Spurs better?
Steve Nicol says Daniel Levy's lack of spending is to blame after Mauricio Pochettino was sacked at Tottenham.
Jose Mourinho has taken the job as Tottenham Hotspur job, which he said he'd never do because "I love Chelsea supporters too much." Life moves pretty fast...
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Our sympathies are definitely with any Tottenham Hotspur fan who managed to get an early night on Tuesday only to wake up and find their entire world had changed on Wednesday morning.
He's back. pic.twitter.com/SUxl4eEirK
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 20, 2019
Spurs sacked Mauricio Pochettino on Tuesday evening before, less than 12 hours later, appointing Jose Mourinho: a man who famously once said he'd never even contemplate working for them.
Speaking ahead of the 2015 Capital One Cup final between his Chelsea side and Pochettino's Spurs, Mourinho admitted that an exit clause forbade him from managing in England for two years and that even Spurs' attempts to pay compensation to the Blues fell short.
"I couldn't go," Mourinho said, after confirming the approach from Spurs. "I couldn't train in England for two years."
Asked if he would have considered Spurs, Mourinho added: "No, because I love Chelsea supporters too much."
Mourinho will have to contend with a documentary film crew following his every move, as Spurs are the latest subjects of Amazon's "All Or Nothing" series. Just last year, the Portuguese stated rather vehemently that allowing behind-the-scenes access at a football club was not to his liking.
"You can have a fantastic movie while respecting others," the then-Manchester United manager said in a dig at rivals Manchester City. "You don't need to be disrespectful to have a fantastic movie.
"You can be a rich club and buy the best players in the world but you cannot buy class and they showed that clearly, that was really obvious."
Mourinho added: "The second reaction is because I am in the movie I could ask for some royalties. But if they send me one of the shirts they had in the tunnel when we played there, the shirts that were saying 'we did it on derby day.' If they send me one of these shirts, I give up about the royalties."
Thankfully, it would appear that enough water has passed under those particular bridges since then for a full 180-degree turn.
This Tottenham fan's reaction to Mourinho replacing Pochettino will be the highlight of your day ?
?️ "Mourinho, helllooooo!" pic.twitter.com/sEc24omPap
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) 20 November 2019
It's perhaps also worth noting that Mourinho's famous "park the bus" analogy -- a phrase synonymous with ultra-defensive tactics -- was originally provoked by a particularly stagnant goalless draw against Spurs in 2004.
"As we say in Portugal, they brought the bus and they left the bus in front of the goal," he said after that game. "I'm really frustrated because there was only one team looking to win, they only came not to concede - it's not fair for the football we played."
Anyway, it took mere hours for Spurs to dismiss Pochettino and hire Mourinho as part of their near instantaneous changing of the guard.
With the bewildering news still being digested, messages of love and gratitude for Poch from his former players started to appear.
Dele Alli was first to salute the departing Argentine.
I can't thank this man enough. He's taught me so much and I'm so grateful for everything he's done for me. Good luck and hope to see you again my friend. pic.twitter.com/dUO6AJlMxR
— Dele (@dele_official) November 19, 2019
Striker Harry Kane was also quick to offer his heartfelt thanks to Poch.
Gaffer. I'll be forever thankful to you for helping me achieve my dreams. We've had some amazing moments in the last 5 and a half years that I will never forget. You were my manager but my friend as well and I thank you for that relationship. Good luck with your next chapter! ? pic.twitter.com/u64RXV7wd4
— Harry Kane (@HKane) November 20, 2019
Gary Lineker was also taken aback by the sudden nature of Poch's exit.
Mauricio Pochettino has been sacked by @SpursOfficial. He helped the club to punch massively above their weight for years. Good luck with finding a better replacement....ain't gonna happen.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) November 19, 2019
Several well-known Spurs fans did their best to process the information, including a punchy one-word summary of the situation from NBA legend Steve Nash.
Devastated
— Steve Nash (@SteveNash) November 19, 2019
Rapper AJ Tracey, who featured in Spurs' latest kit launch, was rendered similarly aghast.
this might be one of the most insane things to ever happen to spurs https://t.co/dWQMjkpekw
— aj tracey (@ajtracey) November 20, 2019
David Lammy, Member of Parliament for Tottenham, voiced his concerns over the club's ability to accommodate their new manager's famous self-reverence.
Tottenham is only about 4 square miles large, we will struggle to contain Mourinho's ego which is bigger than even our new stadium. https://t.co/BRw16FL7og
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) November 20, 2019
Even famously restrained Arsenal fan Piers Morgan popped up to have his say on the situation unfolding across north London, which drew a spiky reply from One Direction star Niall Horan.
You wish you had him at your place
— Niall Horan (@NiallOfficial) November 20, 2019
There were emotional scenes over in Cardiff, where Spurs left-back Ben Davies was alerted to Pochettino's sacking immediately after playing for Wales.
Ben Davies sounds shocked and saddened to hear of Pochettino's sacking ? pic.twitter.com/NUtHsaIynv
— Goal (@goal) November 20, 2019
Of course, it wasn't long before the jokes began about Mourinho's potential list of preferred January transfer targets -- Marouane Fellaini or Nemanja Matic, anyone?
Welcome to Tottenham, Marouane Fellaini!
— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) November 20, 2019
Nemanja Matic waking up to hear Jose Mourinho is the new Spurs manager pic.twitter.com/m9mez7YLY5
— Ireland Simpsons Fans (@iresimpsonsfans) November 20, 2019
Still, it was nice to see some out there in the Twittersphere find a positive spin on the appointment...
Approach today with the optimism of Tottenham Hotspur giving Jose Mourinho a contract lasting longer than he's ever stayed at any club
— Eddie Robson (@EddieRobson) November 20, 2019
While you could hardly accuse Spurs of going like-for-like, it's perhaps interesting to note that their new manager's recent points-per-game record is almost identical to that of their departing manager's.
1.89 - Jose Mourinho's points per game ratio at Manchester United (1.89) was exactly the same as Mauricio Pochettino's at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League (1.89). Replacement. pic.twitter.com/HUrTkXf3ue
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 20, 2019
As always with Mou, we must simply grab the popcorn, get comfortable and watch on transfixed as we witness this latest blockbuster appointment unfold.
Source: espn.co.uk