Cartilage Free Captain - Poch out, Mourinho in — all the updatesA 100% Serious Ridiculous Tottenham Hotspur bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48355/cartilagefree-fave.png2019-11-22T22:01:11+00:00http://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/rss/stream/207380292019-11-22T22:01:11+00:002019-11-22T22:01:11+00:00WATCH: inside Jose Mourinho’s first 48 hours at Tottenham
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<figcaption>Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>BT Sport went behind the scenes. No Amazon cameras detected.</p> <p id="fPKBgB">It’s been a whirlwind, hasn’t it? Within the past 72 hours we’ve seen <a href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/">Tottenham Hotspur</a> fire manager <span>Mauricio Pochettino</span>, the man who took them to the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> final, and hire Jose Mourinho, a man who has managed two of Spurs’ biggest rivals. </p>
<p id="12wdty">I’m still catching my breath.</p>
<p id="EHIhFh">But what’s been fascinating to me over the past couple of days is seeing the reports about Mourinho’s first moments of the club gradually start to trickle out. The above video is the latest... and one of the best I’ve seen so far. </p>
<p id="A1knL7">BT Sport had cameras in place to capture Mourinho walking through the Spurs training ground — meeting the kitchen staff, talking with players at training — but also somewhat candid interviews with both Mourinho and <span>Harry Kane</span>, the first time we’ve heard directly from a player in an interview since the Spursial One took over. You also get a look at some of the personalities behind the Fighting Cock podcast (which you should listen to but only after you’ve finished listening to Wheeler Dealer Radio).</p>
<p id="vm91Tq">We’re going to get a lot more of this eventually — Amazon has most certainly been filming and this will be covered extensively when <em>All or Nothing</em> comes out — but this is an interesting look at the scenes behind Jose’s arrival at Spurs’ training ground.</p>
https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2019/11/22/20978480/tottenham-hotspur-jose-mourinho-first-48-hours-bt-sport-video-watchDustin George-Miller2019-11-21T20:27:49+00:002019-11-21T20:27:49+00:00No director of football for Jose Mourinho at Tottenham, for now
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<figcaption>Photo by REMY GABALDA/AFP via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Luis Campos links are, so far, not looking likely.</p> <p id="J60cLP">When news of Jose Mourinho’s assistant coaches at <a href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/">Tottenham Hotspur</a> were released yesterday, a lot of football observers got excited about one particular name. Yes, “Joao Sacramento” is an excellent name, but that’s not who I’m referring to. Reportedly, Mourinho had reached out to Lille to discuss not only the poaching of assistant coaches Santiago and Nuno Santos, but also their technical director Luis Campos, who Mourinho was interested in making his director of football at Spurs.</p>
<p id="UYes2e">Santos has a good reputation and the idea of him taking care of potential transfers and other medium to long-term strategy sounded like a good idea. It allows some of those details to be taken off the plate of Jose, allowing him to focus on the coaching.</p>
<p id="orvOlS">Unfortunately, it’s looking like that’s less likely, at least for now. Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports tweeted today that Lille, despite letting Sacramento and Santos go, are very unlikely to allow Santos to leave for north London.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lille hierachy apparently confident there is no chance of this happening, with Campos on lengthy contract. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thfc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thfc</a> <a href="https://t.co/ciHqD8oFdi">https://t.co/ciHqD8oFdi</a></p>— Lyall Thomas (@SkySportsLyall) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsLyall/status/1197468007611674624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2019</a>
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<p id="T3jLgM">And there’s more! According to <a href="http://sportwitness.co.uk/manager-annoyed-frustrated-mourinhos-way-things-tottenham-backroom-changes/">RMC Sport (via Sport Witness)</a>, Lille manager Christoph Galtier was apparently “annoyed” by Mourinho’s meddling, and made it clear in a recent press conference.</p>
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<p id="PhwVWH">“Each has their way of doing things. He called Luis (Campos). I don’t know if it’s [a knife in the back], but (read in sarcastic tone) it’s very classy to do things like that… I was annoyed, frustrated because the timing isn’t good. Each will judge the way things are done. What’s most important is that I agree with the decision the president took.</p>
<p id="wclen3">“To be totally transparent, my president informed me of the situation and told me he would let Joao and Nuno go. After a long talk, I understand his decision. It’s a shame, the timing is very bad. That’s how football is these days but what can he do against two people who want to leave and exit the project for live something else? He gave them that possibility. He could’t do anything else”.</p>
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<p id="ghJ2wm">Moreover, the <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/tottenham-have-no-plans-to-make-jose-mourinho-work-under-a-sporting-director-just-yet-a4292816.html">Evening Standard is also reporting</a> that it’s looking like Mourinho won’t get any kind of director of football or technical director at all, but it might be something they’ll look into at a future date.</p>
<p id="cHMYCU">So, for now it looks the the Special One will be the only one.</p>
https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2019/11/21/20976552/tottenham-hotspur-jose-mourinho-director-of-football-luis-camposDustin George-Miller2019-11-21T16:00:00+00:002019-11-21T16:00:00+00:00Mourinho: Pochettino is always welcome at Tottenham Hotspur
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<figcaption>Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>In his first press conference as Tottenham head coach, the Special One said all the right things.</p> <p id="Qernb6"><a href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/">Tottenham Hotspur</a> head coach Jose Mourinho addressed the assembled football media for the first time this morning from Spurs’ training ground. And as we expected, it was a very different experience from the press conferences held by <span>Mauricio Pochettino</span>.</p>
<p id="tRck2w">Mourinho looked calm and relaxed, <a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/live-blog/11675/11866290/jose-mourinhos-first-press-conference-live">speaking directly to not only the press</a> but also to the legions of Tottenham supporters who were hanging on his every word. And he started his remarks by praising the work of outgoing manager Mauricio Pochettino and saying he’s welcome back anytime.</p>
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<p id="bmuyjx">“First of all, I think I have to and I do it with a bit of sadness, I have to speak about Mauricio. </p>
<p id="xby5Ci">“I have to congratulate him for the work he did. I have to share with you what we already shared indoors, which is that this club will always be his home. This training ground will always be his training ground, he can come whenever he wants. </p>
<p id="lkYAX5">“The door is always open for him and from my experience tomorrow is another day and he will find happiness again. He will find a great club again and he will have a great future. He will always be welcome.”</p>
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<p id="Iy0Iby">There are a lot of questions swirling around Mourinho’s appointment, not least being what, if anything, he will change in the short term future. Jose said that while change is likely coming, the tactical shift will be minimal, at least at first.</p>
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<p id="ZpSYUx">“I cannot think that I can come and in two days or four days I can change things. I don’t have a great experience of taking teams mid-season; it is only the second time I have done it. I did it in Porto I think in 2001 but I thought about it during these months because I had the feeling I was going to get a team mid-season. </p>
<p id="wdw1zL">“The conclusions was I was going to have a game one or two days after my appointment. I need to trust the base and the base is what was done before. They were in hands of a good manager and coaching staff. Of course we have principles of play and leadership style that is going to change, that is obvious, but I cannot come here and think it is about my fingerprint or myself. It is not about myself.”</p>
<p id="kxu2EO">“I don’t want to make big changes, I want to respect the base and the work that they did for five-and-a-half years, not two days. We hope that is an update, it is not a change. The base is what they did before. This is not about me and not for me to come and say ‘everything was wrong with Mauricio’, not at all.</p>
<p id="ahppS7">“It is to try and understand why results in the Premier League were not good and to try and reach a good level again. The players are very good and I’m not here to make dramatic changes.”</p>
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<p id="1bRDll">Those comments are instructive about what we might potentially see on the pitch this weekend at the London Stadium, when Spurs play a derby against West Ham. But despite showing what seemed like a softer, fuzzier side rather than the prickly demeanor that he’s known for, Mourinho has said that while he’s changed his approach to management upon reflection, deep down he’s still the same manager.</p>
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<p id="XMZEvv">“You never lose your DNA, you never lose your identity, you are what you are for the good things and the bad things. But I have time to think about many things. I realize that during my career I have made mistakes but I won’t make the same mistakes. I’m going to make new mistakes.</p>
<p id="xBGspN">”I am stronger from an emotional point of view. I am relaxed, I am motivated, I am ready and I think the players felt that in two days. I think they feel that I am ready to support them, this is not about me. </p>
<p id="EhPudF">”I am in a period where it is not about myself, it is about the club, the fans, the players. Not about me. I am here to try and help everyone.”</p>
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<p id="6UV100">Jose has managed clubs all over the world and has one of the largest collection of silverware to his name of any current manager in Europe, but he suggested that the Premier League is where his true football home is. Coming to Spurs is a natural fit, he said, because this is where he has had the best experience, even taking into account the ruthless nature of the modern football game.</p>
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<p id="WdRxAi">“I have always said the Premier League is my natural habitat is where I am most loved is where I felt if I had the option is the league and the country that I considered the best and found most enjoyable and where I am really happy. </p>
<p id="XG22Tr">When you decide to stay more years in the country – I think [Arsene] Wenger was probably the last of that generation of big era in football clubs, Sir Alex [Ferguson] and Mr Wenger. Mauricio — five and a half years was really amazing but it is normal to change from club to club. I wouldn’t be surprised if tomorrow Mauricio is manager of another English club – that is modernity in football. </p>
<p id="8U8kQQ">”Now I only have one shirt and only one passion and only one thing in my mind which is my club and that is Spurs. I’m not <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/">Chelsea</a>, I’m not United, I’m not Real Madrid, I’m not Inter – I am all of them, I gave everything to all of them and that is what I am going to do here, give everything.”</p>
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<p id="MVT1TE">I said it before, but as far as first impressions go this was a good one. Mourinho came across as humble, warm, and accommodating, neither promising status quo nor massive change immediately. He praised the players, indicated that the squad is very good and has potential, and said he believes in the project, whatever that might be in the short term. It’s everything he should’ve said and it ticks all the right boxes. </p>
<p id="3c5M5z">But because this is still Jose Mourinho, he did have one especially noteworthy moment, when he was asked if losing the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> final in June had affected the team, leading to the dip in form.</p>
<blockquote><p id="62dzsq">“I don’t know because I never lost a Champions League final.”</p></blockquote>
<p id="3xGe2j">Mic drop. Exeunt. Be champions.</p>
https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2019/11/21/20975818/tottenham-hotspur-jose-mourinho-first-press-conference-pochettino-always-welcomeDustin George-Miller2019-11-21T15:26:50+00:002019-11-21T15:26:50+00:00Could the hiring of Mourinho be a precursor to Spurs being sold?
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<p>ENIC could be making the move with an eye to an ownersihp change in the future.</p> <p id="QiIO0o">If you’re a Spurs fan who has been off the grid for the last few days, you’ve missed a lot. </p>
<p id="vssMVs"><span>Mauricio Pochettino</span> was fired, and Jose Mourinho is now the manager of <a href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/">Tottenham Hotspur</a>. It has been a dramatic week of quick, drastic change at Spurs. Daniel Levy did what he thought had to be done, but his decision has caused a great deal of pain for a fan base that truly loved Pochettino.</p>
<p id="VFfsbT">It’s possible that he chose to dismiss Poch because of some other motivations as well. <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/tottenham-hotspur/story/3994589/how-mourinho-replaced-pochettino-inside-tottenhams-turbulent-day">According to ESPNFC</a>, ENIC are interested in selling the club, and appointing a “high-profile” manager like Mourinho could be seen as the first step in that process. </p>
<blockquote><p id="Vlj8kZ">“Hiring a manager with his pedigree and global brand has been floated as a first step on the road to potentially selling the club.” says the report. “Sources told ESPN FC that Tottenham owners, ENIC Group, are interested in selling, and the high-profile hiring of Mourinho will make them more appealing to a prospective buyer. With their new stadium, position in London, track record of <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> play in recent seasons, Mourinho adds further polish to a potentially compelling investment.”</p></blockquote>
<p id="Lb6K1v">This idea that ENIC is looking to sell is something we’ve heard for quite a few years now, ever since the plans to build the new stadium were announced. Nothing has materialized of yet, but this still seems like something that will happen down the road. ENIC isn’t some family that owns Tottenham out of love, it’s an investment company. </p>
<p id="dHvr2u">As of May 2019, the club is valued at $1.6 billion (£1.3 billion), according to Forbes. That’s a lot more than Spurs were worth when <span>Joe Lewis</span> and Daniel Levy first took over in North London back in 2001.</p>
<p id="5aJl6n">Yes, the stadium was built partially so the club could make more money to spend on wages and transfer fees and such, but it was also built to help raise Tottenham’s profile for a future sale. Spurs are such an attractive purchase because they can boast a world class stadium and a world class training facility in London. </p>
<p id="BWWcTW">If things with Mourinho go well, they’ll also be able to boast a world class manager, one who has a proven track record of winning trophies, something ownership is clearly becoming increasingly desperate for. </p>
<p id="XM3Z3h">The worry here is about who would take over if a sale did eventually happen. No reasonable Spurs fan wants to see the club they love so much bought by an oligarch similar to Roman Abramovich or by a representative of a human rights-abusing country like Qatar or Saudi Arabia. People have their issues with Levy and with ENIC, but it could be a lot worse.</p>
<p id="1kJaSb">These kind of things take a while to develop, so don’t expect any sale being completed any time soon. </p>
<p id="WyFZyJ">The club won’t be as attractive if Mourinho doesn’t step in and help turn around the player’s form on the pitch. That starts this Saturday at <a href="https://bracethehammer.sbnation.com/">West Ham United</a>.</p>
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https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2019/11/21/20975879/tottenham-hotspur-news-rumors-jose-mourinho-appointment-precursor-levy-enic-selling-spursAlex Greenberg2019-11-21T08:00:00+00:002019-11-21T08:00:00+00:00Guardian: Mourinho will not have January transfer funds
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<figcaption>Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Welcome, Jose. Here’s your transfer kitty of zilch.</p> <p id="IeuNq7">One of the hallmarks of Jose Mourinho’s tenures at other clubs is that he was almost always given a large chunk of transfer money to play with in order to start molding the club into the image of the way he wants them to play. Well, according to one report, he might yet get those funds... but it won’t be until the summer.</p>
<p id="kCbvUE">David Hytner, writing for the Guardian, reported today that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/nov/20/jose-mourinho-tottenham-told-no-money-transfers-january">Mourinho will not be given any transfer funds for the January transfer window</a>, meaning the Special One will need to make do with the players that he has right now until the summer window opens up on May 16.</p>
<p id="npuCBJ">That could be why Mourinho, in his opening interview on Tottenham’s website, talked so effusively about how much he likes the squad he now has in place at Spurs. It probably benefits him to say that... because there isn’t a dang thing he can do about it for another six months! That’s a cynical reading of his comments, admittedly, and Carty Free’s Jake Meador has already written about how <a href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2019/11/20/20974196/tottenham-hotspur-jose-mourinho-hire-four-winners-three-losers-analysis">certain players on Spurs’ roster could excel in Mourinho’s tactics</a> in the coming weeks. </p>
<p id="pL22oZ">And maybe it’s true! There’s certainly a lot of talent on this Tottenham roster that for whatever reason hasn’t been performing up to the level of ability or potential. We don’t have a handle yet on the reason for the slump in performance and results, though we can certainly make some pretty good guesses that involve dissatisfaction with former manager <span>Mauricio Pochettino</span>. </p>
<p id="037XCW">There’s also a secondary, even more cynical view that the reason Mourinho isn’t being provided a transfer kitty in January because Daniel Levy already spent it to buy out Mauricio Pochettino’s contract and pay for Mourinho’s £13m/year salary. That’s probably part of the picture, but it doesn’t really matter since Spurs have historically never been active in the January window anyway.</p>
<p id="8Gw3TL">But whatever the case, Mourinho is going to have to bootstrap this underachieving mess of a club out of the bottom half of the table with the pieces he already has in place at Spurs. Now, it’s altogether possible that Mourinho and his new team could finance a move or two for players through sales of want-away players, but if we’re going to believe Hytner (and we probably should) I wouldn’t bet on it.</p>
<p id="diE29D">Hope you’ve limbered up your arms, Jose because you’re going to need to put them on a lot of player shoulders over the coming days.</p>
https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2019/11/21/20975309/tottenham-hotspur-transfer-news-rumors-jose-mourinho-no-transfer-funds-januaryDustin George-Miller2019-11-20T18:59:33+00:002019-11-20T18:59:33+00:00In first interview, Mourinho promises to bring “passion” to Tottenham Hotspur
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<figcaption>Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The key word is “passion.”</p> <p id="AE7Zwc"><a href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/">Tottenham Hotspur</a> Head Coach Jose Mourinho has opened up to the public for the first time since replacing <span>Mauricio Pochettino</span> in north London. The Portuguese manager gave his opening remarks to the Spurs faithful in <a href="https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/2019/november/jose-mourinho-what-can-i-promise-passion-real-passion/">an interview posted on Tottenham’s website</a>, and it’s pretty much what we expected — he’s very happy to be here, and he’s ready to bring <em>passion</em> back to Spurs.</p>
<blockquote><p id="MIUFcg">“I couldn’t be happier and look forward to the challenge. What can I promise? Passion, real passion. Passion for my job, but also passion for <em>my</em> Club, that’s the way I have been all my career and I want to try, obviously, everything to bring happiness to everyone who loves the Club.”</p></blockquote>
<p id="OQtU7U">If there’s something that has been absent from Tottenham recently, it’s passion. Results have been bad. Performances have been flat. Spurs have looked like a cardboard cutout of themselves at times, and Mourinho says he wants to change that. And he could! If there’s one thing you can say about Jose, it’s that he certainly knows how to be emotional when the situation calls for it.</p>
<p id="Ncod6C">One of the great worries when a new manager comes in is which players are going to be shipped off as the new guy evaluates the squad and decides how to mold it into his image. Mourinho says that this isn’t a problem this time — he likes the squad he has coming in, and he thinks they can do very, very good things from day one.</p>
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<p id="r1QpT4">“It’s a privilege when a manager goes to a club and feels that happiness in relation to the squad he is going to have. It didn’t happen many times. To be honest, the majority of the times we go to clubs and we always think ‘We like some, I don’t like enough’ and you think immediately about what to do to change, what to do to make an approach between your ideas and the profile of the players.</p>
<p id="FX39y8">“This is a completely different case, and these are not words of the moment, they are not words of me being the Tottenham Head Coach, these are words that I told and repeated in the last three, four, five years, even as an opponent.</p>
<p id="tNs8Lf">“I always told about the club’s potential, I always told about the qualities of the players, I always told about the magnificent work the club was doing to keep all the good players that the majority of the big clubs in Europe would be looking for.</p>
<p id="i3lC82">“I really like this squad. Of course, I’m not going to say names, I’m not going to tell you individuals because this is completely against my concept of what a team has to be, but I like a lot the ability of the squad.”</p>
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<p id="pKYPUz">Mourinho also discussed his approach to bringing through and playing young players, especially from the academy. That has always been something for which Mourinho has been criticized, and to be honest it’s a fair criticism with a lot of evidence behind it. Spurs are a club that prioritizes and emphasizes bringing through and developing young talent, and Mourinho says that he plans to do it in north London. It’s worth noting however that Mourinho’s answer here is a lot more carefully constructed, and definitely more cagy.</p>
<blockquote><p id="PSuN6q">”There is not one manager in the world who does not like to play young players and help young players to evolve, there is not one. The problem is sometimes you get into clubs and the work that is below you is not good enough to produce these players, but when you have them, the managers are always happy to develop these players, so I look to our history and you see that the Academy is always giving the talent the first team needs. Of course, I also look forward to work with that profile.”</p></blockquote>
<p id="eD331H">Getting off on the right foot is always important when you’re a manager at a new club, and that’s doubly important when you’re Jose Mourinho and you’re replacing the best and most popular manager Spurs have had since Bill Nicholson. Interviews that originate from the club itself tend to be more sanitized than off-the-cuff interviews with the media as well. </p>
<p id="BqFxIW">But if the benchmark is to say the right things and not drool all over your shirt, then congratulations — Jose has passed his first test. We’ll undoubtedly learn more about his approach in the coming days and weeks.</p>
https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2019/11/20/20974517/tottenham-hotspur-jose-mourinho-first-interview-passionDustin George-Miller2019-11-20T17:39:34+00:002019-11-20T17:39:34+00:00Four Winners, Three Losers from the Jose Mourinho Hire
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<figcaption>Photo credit should read IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Look for Dele and Toby to be central to the Portuguese’s plans.</p> <p id="Aflzps">It happened. #PocheOut #MouIn</p>
<p id="OUoQ4G">Let’s get to some analysis. </p>
<p id="MbSY6k">As <a href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2019/11/19/20972977/daniel-levys-imaginary-shortlist-jose-mourinho">I noted yesterday</a>, Mourinho is inheriting a squad that is not accustomed to playing his usual low-block, counter attacking style but, oddly enough, though it will be a change for the team, the style may actually suit them. Let’s look at five players who are likely to benefit from Mourinho’s arrival and three who may find themselves on the outs.</p>
<h1 id="msJ5fy">The Winners</h1>
<h3 id="Pmvs16"><span>Toby Alderweireld</span></h3>
<p id="Q5Rc1w">The biggest winner is likely Toby Alderweireld. The Belgian defender’s career had somewhat stalled of late after 2-3 seasons where he was arguably the best defender in England. Fitness issues, relational problems with Pochettino, and a bizarre lack of transfer interest over the past two summers all contributed to a sense of stagnation with Alderweireld. But now he is working with the manager who reportedly was keen to sign him two summers ago. </p>
<p id="E9gf0L">It’s not hard to understand why Mourinho would like Alderweireld. He’s a brilliant, tidy defender who somehow manages to stop opposing attacks while almost never fouling or giving the ball away cheaply. He’s also the best passing center back in England—which should make him a huge asset in a counter attacking system like Mourinho’s.</p>
<p id="53Ul3f">Given the lack of interest from other clubs, don’t be surprised if Mourinho’s arrival leads to Alderweireld signing a short-term extension with Spurs.</p>
<h3 id="KmjRkT">Dele Alli</h3>
<p id="DA2OyU">Though it sometimes is said that Mourinho doesn’t value players known for their creative flair—see his decision to sell both Juan Mata and Kevin De Bruyne while at <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/">Chelsea</a>—that’s not entirely accurate. Mourinho hates players that don’t work hard defensively within his system. </p>
<p id="xFxcC0">But if a player is willing to work, Mourinho will use him—and often to great effect. Recall how effectively he used Willian during his time at Chelsea or Wesley Sneijder at Inter. Dele is the kind of player Mourinho will love to work with—an industrious, intelligent runner who also is an elite attacker. Look for him to show up in a midfield three as a shuttler or as a number 10 linking attack and midfield in a 4-2-3-1.</p>
<h3 id="8yTdIG"><span>Harry Kane</span></h3>
<p id="kWuBWC">Here’s what we know about Kane: His days as an elite mobile striker who puts up Lewandowski like numbers and is a pressing machine at the top of a high press are likely at an end.</p>
<p id="8GwPbu">Here is something else we know about Kane: He’s an excellent facilitator up top and is big enough to be a more than capable target man. Now imagine Kane as an outlet for long balls from deep positions who then plays quick layoffs for fast wingers or Dele Alli. The Kane we saw during the short peak of last year’s Air Raid attack could be Kane’s future—if he has a future as an elite striker, which is still an open question. That said, it is possible that Mourinho is a better option for helping Kane reach his former heights. Both Didier Drogba and Diego Milito put up exceptional numbers for Mourinho and both were limited in ways similar to Kane’s new apparent limitations after his many ankle injuries.</p>
<h3 id="NOmSGY">Eric Dier</h3>
<p id="MMNd06">Dier has been the odd man out at Spurs for awhile now, plagued by fitness issues for the last couple of seasons and struggling for form this year. But Mourinho loves defensive midfielders who understand their role within a system and provide stability at the base of midfield while also shielding the defense. </p>
<p id="hTmnuN">He does not have many elite skills, but peak Eric Dier is an incredibly smart player whose ability to read the game allows him to anticipate attacks before most players can, which in turn compensates for his lack of athleticism and pace. In this respect, he is <em>very</em> similar to Mourinho favorite Nemanja Matic. Look for Dier to be the deeper of the two midfielders in Mourinho’s 4-2-3-1, likely playing alongside Tanguy Ndombele who, in the best possible scenario, would have a role comparable to that of Cesc Fabregas in Mourinho’s most recent title-winning side at Chelsea.</p>
<h1 id="NB5V9W">The Losers</h1>
<h3 id="oDekg7">Davinson Sanchez</h3>
<p id="k0zflN">Mourinho has in the past mentioned that <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/manchester-united-news-jose-mourinho-reveals-ajax-tactics-a7789356.html">he specifically targeted Sanchez</a> in the Europa League final when the Colombian defender’s Ajax faced Mourinho’s <a href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/">Manchester United</a>. Additionally, Sanchez has struggled to recreate the form that made him look such a promising prospect in his first season at Spurs. He has struggled to track the ball in the air and has sometimes lost track of his man in the box. Those are the kind of mistakes that could lead to a quick exile under Mourinho, particularly if the notoriously stubborn Portuguese already does not rate Sanchez.</p>
<h3 id="7PB1w9"><span>Christian Eriksen</span></h3>
<p id="FZKkfK">Eriksen is the closest thing Spurs have to a Juan Mata or Kevin De Bruyne figure: an elite creator who needs to be in very particular roles to thrive. Prior to last season it was thought by many that Eriksen could thrive as a free eight in a 4-3-3 system or perhaps even as the more creative half of a double pivot in a 4-2-3-1. After his struggles last season being used in such a role, it is very hard to maintain that belief. </p>
<p id="0mON18">It seems that Eriksen needs to be used in a 4-2-3-1 and be given a relatively free role either as a wide creator or a number 10. Given such a role, Eriksen is likely still an elite, <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> caliber playmaker who will have a bright future somewhere next season, perhaps in Spain with Real Madrid or Barcelona as a discount signing or perhaps with a resurgent Italian giant, such as AC Milan. But his days as a regular starter at Spurs are likely numbered as it is unlikely that Mourinho would adapt his system to accommodate Eriksen. We already know that he wouldn’t do that for Mata or De Bruyne so there is little reason to think he would for Eriksen.</p>
<h3 id="Yb55Sq">Serge Aurier</h3>
<p id="WoZt7J">The surest way to get banished by Mourinho is to be a gaffe prone defender whose mental mistakes routinely put his own team under pressure. And, well... Aurier is notorious for that. Some managers might not be bothered given the Ivorian’s other qualities—he’s still the best athlete Spurs have at right back as well as the fastest option the team has there and its best attacker. If the manager were Eddie Howe, then you might expect Aurier to have a new chance at making the first choice right back role his own. But players like Aurier do not last long with Mourinho. Look for him to follow Eriksen out the door next summer at the latest and more likely in January.</p>
https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2019/11/20/20974196/tottenham-hotspur-jose-mourinho-hire-four-winners-three-losers-analysisJake Meador2019-11-20T16:04:24+00:002019-11-20T16:04:24+00:00An open letter to Jose Mourinho
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<img alt="Tottenham Hotspur Unveil New Manager Jose Mourinho" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7PPUnzl6Ufv1w5tLybvGcSBh9cE=/0x0:4242x2828/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65737967/1188865442.jpg.5.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>To the new man in charge.</p> <p id="eyWK0F">Dear José,</p>
<p id="APewYd">Welcome to <a href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/">Tottenham Hotspur</a> Football Club.</p>
<p id="Qb8D3w">By now, you’ve no doubt settled into an office that was occupied by your predecessor, Mauricio Pochettino. Before you get truly comfortable and tell Spurs supporters what your plans are, please know what you are taking on.</p>
<p id="ynDBsv">About twenty years ago, Spurs began a slow, methodical transformation. The man who hired you, Daniel Levy, took over when ENIC purchased the controlling stake of the club. Through the ups and downs of his tenure, supporters watched the change and got excited for the future. </p>
<p id="ND7Ga4">There have been many bright spots, like defeating <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/">Chelsea</a> in the Carling Cup Final in 2008 or watching <span>Peter Crouch</span> bury a header at Etihad Stadium, sending Spurs to the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a> for the first time in their history. </p>
<p id="3WxTZO">I’ve gone to YouTube and watched the highlights of Gareth Bale stealing Maicon’s soul from his body on repeat, sending him on a permanent journey in search of a taxicab. This was after his inexplicable hat trick at the San Siro against that same Inter Milan squad.</p>
<p id="aKv8Ki">Spurs have had title challenges fall short that were magical runs and a Champions League final just six months ago that I had a hard time explaining just what it meant to everyone that follows the club. Those runs ended in heartbreak, and I want that to change. I want to see our captain, Hugo Lloris, lift a trophy in a Spurs kit while everyone around him celebrates.</p>
<p id="x7H8Uw">Not long after Gareth Bale left Spurs for Madrid, a kid named <span>Harry Kane</span> join the senior squad. You’ve probably heard of him, given he tortured Chelsea a few times when you were still manager at our rival. That 5-3 victory on New Year’s Day is still enjoyable to watch. He’s now entering the prime of his career and desperately wants to win silverware. I love him, and I want him to succeed with his boyhood club.</p>
<p id="yY4FEN">You’ll have a bunch of wonderful players to choose from besides Harry. Dele Alli is a fantastic midfielder and should get a boost from your experience. Heung-Min Son is a dangerous attacker with loads of pace and ability and it’s been painful watching him cry. Erik Lamela is the quintessential squad player who will give you his all every match. Just don’t be surprised if he commits a foul or seven (or a murder) in a single match.</p>
<p id="Brg5oZ">There are new players that I’m excited for like Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso! They are the future in midfield and they’re already showing everyone why the club made the move for them. I’m eager to see Ryan Sessegnon marauding down the left flank after he came to Spurs from Fulham.</p>
<p id="VqUcnA">I know you have a resume full of accolades and you have been regarded as one of the best to ever stand in a manager’s box. There’s reason to be excited to see you coming out of the tunnel as an ally and not the enemy. You’re going to have world class training facilities at your disposal and a gorgeous new stadium to bask in.</p>
<p id="QGF15f">But I have real concern over the negative things that come with you.</p>
<p id="blgQVL">I’ve watched your antics in press conferences and post-match interviews. Those are probably minor, given Spurs supporters have dealt with “sour Poch” for awhile now, but I’ve watched you throw players under the bus, whether it’s direct or subtle. There was that <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-36472713">discriminatory firing that happened at Chelsea</a> that I cannot, and will not, forget. Your ego is a huge concern, and while I understand that all players and managers have one and it’s almost a necessity to do so, you tend to let it get out of control.</p>
<p id="XAS178">I’m also worried that you aren’t what you once were. Your stint at <a href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/">Manchester United</a>, even though you won three trophies there, was not a good one. You spent more time complaining about the transfer policy and Ed Woodward than you did planning tactics toward the end. Daniel Levy is not an idiot like Woodward is, and he certainly isn’t going to give you a blank check for transfers.</p>
<p id="hnwcaV">The bottom line is this: I want to be excited for this move. You’re a huge name, probably the biggest one Spurs have ever had in the manager’s box. Through all the bullsh*t that you put supporters through, there have always been trophy celebrations that help wash that away.</p>
<p id="MDywtC">This club is on the verge of a breakthrough, I can feel it. That last step has been elusive, and I hope that you are the one to guide the club to glory.</p>
<p id="rlswHh"><em>Audere est Facere</em>, José.</p>
<p id="1LTiqV">Please, do not f*ck this up.</p>
https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2019/11/20/20973924/tottenham-hotspur-opinion-an-open-letter-to-jose-mourinhoSean Cahill