Mourinho gets Spurs
‘THE SPECIAL ONE’: MANDATED TO GET THE AILING LONDON CLUB OUT OF ICU
Jose Mourinho, one of European football’s most successful managers, was yesterday appointed to replace the sacked Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham Hotspur, with a brief to revive the fortunes of a club languishing in the lower reaches of the Premier League.
The Portuguese, formerly manager to Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United, signed a contract until the end of the 2022-23 season, the north London club said in a statement.
“I am excited to be joining a club with such a great heritage and such passionate supporters,” said Mourinho, who has won domestic league titles in four countries – Portugal, England, Italy and Spain.
“The quality in both the squad and the academy excites me. Working with these players is what has attracted me.”
Argentine Pochettino, 47, was sacked on Tuesday, with Tottenham struggling in the league after picking up just three wins from their opening 12 games.
He had transformed Spurs’ fortunes after arriving from Southampton in 2014 and although he failed to win a trophy, he took the club to the Champions League final for the first time in their history just six months ago.
This season they were knocked out of the League Cup by fourthtier Colchester United and suffered an embarrassing 7-2 defeat at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Mourinho, never shy of speaking his mind, famously said: “I am a special one”, when he first arrived in the Premier League to manage Chelsea in 2004.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: “In Jose we have one of the most successful managers in football. He has a wealth of experience, can inspire teams and is a great tactician.
“He has won honours at every club he has coached. We believe he will bring energy and belief to the dressing room.”
Mourinho, 56, won Champions League titles at home with Porto and then in Italy with Inter Milan.
He also won three Premier League titles over two spells in charge of Chelsea and returned to England to manage Manchester United in 2016.
He was sacked in December last
Picture: Getty Images year following a poor run and has been without a club since, most recently working as a TV pundit.
His first match in charge will be the London derby at West Ham on Saturday.
Former captain Gary Mabbutt told the BBC that Spurs were forced to act after a poor run.
“I think everyone at the club will always have great affection for Mauricio, but as a board of directors you have to look at the way things are going and the board had to make a decision.”
Despite their recent bad results, Tottenham thrived under Pochettino’s leadership.
They qualified for the Champions League four times, culminating in a dramatic run to the club’s first European Cup final in June, which they lost 2-0 to Liverpool in Madrid.
However, domestic results had been on the decline since February, with Spurs clinging on to a top-four finish last season, despite winning just three of their final 12 league games.
That form has continued this season and Mourinho arrives with the club 11 points outside the Premier League top-four, 20 behind leaders Liverpool and just six points above the relegation zone.
They are well-placed to reach the last-16 of the Champions League despite the Bayern humiliation. – AFP
– Ryan Giggs hailed Wales’ qualification for Euro 2020 as one of the best days of his life after Aaron Ramsey’s double beat Hungary 2-0 in Cardiff.
The Juventus midfielder, above, was making his first start of the qualifying campaign due to a series of injuries and showed what Wales had missed by scoring early in each half.
Victory means Giggs, who has never had the chance to represent his country at a major international tournament during a decorated playing career, can look forward to leading his side to the European championships next summer.
“It doesn’t get any better,” said Giggs, who won 25 major trophies as a Manchester United player. “It’s one of the best days of my life.”
Wales reached the semifinals of the European championships in 2016 and while matching that run next year will be a huge ask, there was a glimmer of what they are capable of, with Ramsey restored alongside Gareth Bale.
Giggs’ two star men combined brilliantly for the opener after 15 min as Ramsey headed home Bale’s inch-perfect cross from the right.
“I missed a lot of this campaign but it was all worthwhile to chip in with a couple of goals tonight,” Ramsey told Sky Sports. “We had the time of our lives in France [at Euro 2016]. We inspired a nation so we wanted to do it again.”
Wales still needed a moment of magic at the other end of the field as an incredible double save from Wayne Hennessey denied Dominik Szoboszlai and Roland Sallai an equaliser as Hungary threatened before the break.
However, there was no way back for the visitors once Ramsey controlled Kieffer Moore’s knockdown to smash home from close range 2 min into the second half.
“He’s a world-class player,” said Bale on Ramsey’s contribution. “It’s great to have him back and he showed tonight what a great player he is.”
Roared on by a vociferous home support, Wales rarely looked troubled as they produced arguably their best performance since Giggs took charge two years ago at the best possible time.
He praised the response of his squad to end the campaign on a five-game unbeaten run to reach the Euros for just the second time in Welsh history.
“From where we were in the summer, all credit to the lads for coming back,” added Giggs. “This side can do a lot more. There is quality in the squad, not just the 11. Every player has shown their class.” – AFP