Jose Mourinho

[emiley heskey]

Fair points; having read about the infrastructure at Liverpool, it would appear there is an issue we need to address beyond the managerial appointment

What infrastructure of Liverpool??

 

[shelfboy68]

This is true. But as the original poster said, it was 12 games into the season and lots of flux still happening in the table. Unfortunate draw at everton when yer man had an ugly ankle break and Son wrongfully sent off. Poor draw against Sheff Utd at home. Poch sacked. Things had dropped, but only from the great heights he was pivotal in creating. two wins later in the Mourinho bounce and we were 5th.

I reckon had Poch stayed we'd not be tearing it up, and there would possibly be similar levels of discontent as now. But a mitigating factor would be that we'd be well on the way with an evolution of a first eleven from the previous cycle that was ending. We spent club record money on Ndombele, LoCelso, Sess. We gave the guy who signed them 12 games to create the new first 11. Then we binned him. Abandoning not only him but his front foot blueprint.

We look like we're back in the pre-Jol days. That's certainly a danger now if we keep regressing while other sides improve.

We have fallen away quite badly, we now look exactly what we are which is a mid table side, shocking levels of ambition, investment and leadership.

 

[Ledley's Right Foot]

This is pretty astounding considering the majority of our fanbase decided it was time for Poch to go because "he had lost the dressing room" for Jose to now question their desire.

I feel the same now as I felt under Poch which is that the players attitudes were the issue. Not to say they were bad apples but that we needed a personnel overhaul as the players no longer had the fight in them to continue the journey.

I worry for this route that Jose is going though. Feels like we're going to be heading for a toxic environment.

Or, he is saying it how it is. The lack of desire disturbed all of us. Maybe it's the players who have to listen to this and get their heads right. If this comment loses the dressing room, then we have a real problem with the mentality of our squad.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

That’s an ultimatum to the players. It’s a big gamble, they’ll either respond with a committed, aggressive end of season or they’ll down tools. Jose’s basically gone into ‘nothing to lose’ territory 18 months prematurely.

Not confident it’ll work, but fuck it he’s only saying what most of this site are too.

 

[Gspurs11]

without a solid philosophy or plan

I haven't got my glasses on and read this as "with a solid philosophy of pain", which i think is also fairly accurate.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

If you watch how Aurier defended the Sheffield United second goal and then listen to Jose in regards to his players desire then Aurier never plays for the club again

I actually 'like’ Serge but he has serious form on the desire front...

Will Jose put his money where his mouth is and start sorting shit out?

PS I’ll say it again I like Aurier and this has nothing to do with scapegoating but if you want to sort out a teams desire and mentality then it’s goodbye

 

[wrd]

That’s an ultimatum to the players. It’s a big gamble, they’ll either respond with a committed, aggressive end of season or they’ll down tools. Jose’s basically gone into ‘nothing to lose’ territory 18 months prematurely.

Not confident it’ll work, but fuck it he’s only saying what most of this site are too.

Its just frustrating that some of us had this attitude when the players were doing this under the previous manager and were laughed at when it was suggested that it'd be better to stick through the rough season with Poch and then overhaul the personnel (this was prior to jose being in the frame and thus this point has 0% to do with him).

Well we have a new manager and now people have the attitude that its the players who are the problem. Funny that.

 

[punkisback]

I think people are starting to fall into the trap of thinking our players are shit because of recent performances.

Our team isn't shit - there's tons of talent. On paper we're better than all but 3 or 4 teams in the league. We have some glaring holes in the squad (CDM, RB, ST) but I suspect most managers would still prefer our squad over that of Wolves, Leicester, Arsenal and certainly Everton, Sheffield Utd etc. Before the season started most would've also picked our squad over those of Man Utd and Chelsea.

The problem is the way we're setting up. We look like far less than the sum of our parts and that has to be the fault of the manager.

Personally I think we dropped a bollock bringing in Mourihno. Yes he's a winner, but he's also on a downward trajectory and with Liverpool and City being this good I struggle to see him winning us a trophy (which is the main reason you bring him in).

We won't be moving him on anytime soon, so we've basically got to hold on tight, hope that he can turns things around somehow. We're gonna have to grin and bear it for a while, and maybe, just maybe, he'll hit upon a system that works.

I still maintain, though, that our squad is largely quite decent and under the right manager we'd be up there fighting for 3rd.

I agree with lots, but the team itself is probably comparable to wolves, and Leicester in terms of quality and more like Arsenal where we have 2/3 elite players but most of the rest wouldn't get into the top for.

 

[CornerPinDreamer]

That’s an ultimatum to the players. It’s a big gamble, they’ll either respond with a committed, aggressive end of season or they’ll down tools. Jose’s basically gone into ‘nothing to lose’ territory 18 months prematurely.

Not confident it’ll work, but fuck it he’s only saying what most of this site are too.

Agreed the players need a rocket. But who's going to have the same talk with Jose about his tactics?

 

[gilzeantheking]

Today's pre Everton presser

 

[tototoner]

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. ""

 

[Saoirse]

If you watch how Aurier defended the Sheffield United second goal and then listen to Jose in regards to his players desire then Aurier never plays for the club again

I actually 'like’ Serge but he has serious form on the desire front...

Will Jose put his money where his mouth is and start sorting shit out?

PS I’ll say it again I like Aurier and this has nothing to do with scapegoating but if you want to sort out a teams desire and mentality then it’s goodbye

Maybe it would have been easier to drop Serge if the greatest managerial mastermind in the history of football hadn't loaned out our only other right-back for no apparent reason?

 

[Ionman34]

Taking away the set up I felt that their players were hungrier and had a greater desire than ours collectively.

Absolutely, which was what I meant by our mentality being wrong.

 

[mr ashley]

I’d agree if I had confidence in the club applying logic in the way you do. A rebuild is absolutely preferable but we’ve been hearing noises that there isn’t much money available. That means a rebuild on a modest budget, which is okay if you’ve got a good scouting and recruiting structure in place but I don’t think we do. I’ve got little faith in us acting effectively, decisively or timely when it comes to recruitment. We tend to faff about for ages, miss out on targets or alienate selling clubs. My only bit of ITK ever comes from my brother in law who used to be a very high flying PR executive and one of his clients was Shakhtar Donetsk and he told me this story that Levy was trying to buy one of their players some time ago, it might even have been Willian, and he was told he’d need to double his offer before the club would even consider talking. Anyway, Levy kept coming back with derisory offers that were about half a million better than the original offer. In the end the chairman wouldn’t even take his calls. I’ve no reason to doubt my brother in law, who had a close professional relationship with the SD chairman and this story certainly tallies with others that have done the rounds for years about Levy. In short, if we’re going to be characteristically difficult at recruitment again, we need someone who can reshape the bulk of the current squad because I’m not convinced we’ll sell that many of our ‘deadwood’. Because of this, I just can’t see Mourinho being successful in this context

Sounds totally spot on. Levy treats transfer deals as battles, screwing down the selling club so hard it leaves a bitter taste in their mouths. All to save a few quid here and there. Whenever we try to deal again, his conduct is remembered and it counts against us.
We’d have signed Grealish and Aubameyang to name but two.
we often hear that Levy is a smart businessman, his ability to build and sustain relationships in a crucial aspect of the business (player recruitment) appears to be woeful.
This part of the job needs to be be taken away from Levy

 

[danielneeds]

Or, he is saying it how it is. The lack of desire disturbed all of us. Maybe it's the players who have to listen to this and get their heads right. If this comment loses the dressing room, then we have a real problem with the mentality of our squad.

He said the same thing at United and we're on the road to the same ending now. This is just not how you reach players these days. This squad has run it's heart out for years by and large. It got tired, mentally and physically, saw it's rivals strengthen while we got weaker. Of course they have lost heart and motivation. That's what Poch saw coming and he didn't know how to fix short of letting go of a lot of players.

 

[spursfan77]

That’s an ultimatum to the players. It’s a big gamble, they’ll either respond with a committed, aggressive end of season or they’ll down tools. Jose’s basically gone into ‘nothing to lose’ territory 18 months prematurely.

Not confident it’ll work, but fuck it he’s only saying what most of this site are too.

Poch tried it numerous times in the last year. After burnley, southampton and olympiakos. The players just don't want it enough. He has to coax them through games, hence our usual improvements after drinks breaks. They are the problem.

Mauricio Pochettino Admits Spurs Don't Have Title Winning Mentality

The Spurs manager claims that losses to the likes of Burnley makes him worry they won't be ready to win the Premier League for 10 years.

www.sportbible.com

'We didn't take it seriously': Pochettino questions sinking Spurs

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was uncharacteristically critical of his side's mentality after throwing away a lead to lose 2-1 at Southampton on Saturday and plunge their chances of Champions League qualification into further peril.

www.worldfootball.net

Pochettino rips into Spurs players after blowing two-goal lead at Olympiakos

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino said his players ‘didn’t respect my plan’ as they surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Olympiakos in their Champions League opener. Last year’s…

talksport.com

Nobody can convince me it is the manager with the problem.

 

[Nicki78]

Or, he is saying it how it is. The lack of desire disturbed all of us. Maybe it's the players who have to listen to this and get their heads right. If this comment loses the dressing room, then we have a real problem with the mentality of our squad.

He has some big decisions to make for Monday - does he drop people like Son for example who normally walk into the team but showed no effort in the SU game (sorry to pick on Son as I love him but he’s a good example in this case). Interesting to see who makes the cut for the everton game.

 

[al_pacino]

Maybe it would have been easier to drop Serge if the greatest managerial mastermind in the history of football hadn't loaned out our only other right-back for no apparent reason?

Walker-Peters needed the loan. The actual option for that would be Tanganga but he's injured and it's hard to blame the manager for that.

 

[spids]

I think since Jose came in he has been all carrot and no stick with the players, looking to build their confidence. But we have too many nice guys in the squad and I think he is now realising that. Son has not put his foot in since Gomes broke his leg in that freak accident last year at Goodison. We have no real dominant leaders in the team. Players touted as leaders - Lloris, Kane, Alderweireld, Vertonghen - are all 'nice' players. Who in our team will really put their foot in? Sissoko occasionally knocks people over through clumsiness, and Aurier likes to go to ground in our box. But out of all of our players only Dier has looked too physically dominating an opponent this season (against Antonio vs West Ham). Even Dele, who always used to love a good running battle has become all flicks and tricks and has forgotten how to fight to win. Sissoko, Winks, Ndomeble - not a midfield trio that will scare anyone. The players look like they 'defend by numbers' - get in the right position and then wait until we can attack. They've forgotten how to win the ball. How to win the 50-50s. Sheff Utd showed so much more desire the other night. And that is what the problem is. Poch fixed that in his first two years - Wanyama and Dembele dominating the middle of the pitch. Dier, Lamela and Dele up for a fight with anyone, Rose and Walker relishing getting stuck in. Bergwijn? Hard working nice guy. Moura? Hard working nice guy. Son? Hard working nice guy. Winks? Great professional, nice guy. We need more desire. We need more leaders.

 

[Stamford]

Mourinho is poison. Please abort.

These players are poison.