Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THE MOUSSA THAT ROARED
Sissoko: Jose has turned strugglers into winners
MOUSSA SISSOKO believes Jose Mourinho has brought a winning mentality to Tottenham that makes them genuine title contenders.
The Spurs midfielder cannot hide his admiration for Mourinho, and after a year in charge the club already looks very different.
Tottenham are second in the Premier League, a point behind leaders Leicester, and Mourinho’s men would make a big statement if they can beat Manchester City tonight to go top.
It is an unusual looking table after an unprecedented year, but Sissoko believes Mourinho has brought the perfect blend of pragmatism, a winning habit and the experience of lifting major trophies.
“There is a big opportunity,” said Sissoko. “The league is very open. A lot of teams are losing points, so it’s tight. We have a good and big team, so we can beat anyone in this league.
“Of course it’s City, but we are Tottenham. We don’t have to be afraid of them. If we want to go far in this league we have to beat them. It’s good to have a manager who knows how to win. Every club wants to win trophies and to win every week.
“Everyone would like to have a team playing great football, creating a lot of chances and giving the opponents no occasion to score, but the main thing is to win games.
“The manager knows how to do that and has done it many times. But he also knows how to play, to give a difficult time to the opponent. A perfect mix, so let’s use it.”
Sissoko, 31, has seen his own fortunes change dramatically in his four years at the club He struggled to become a regular and yet is now a vital cog in the Spurs machine.
That was highlighted by Mourinho’s assistant Joao Sacramento, who singled out Sissoko as a “great influence in the dressing room” in th e Amazon f ly - o n - t h e - wa l l documentar y, which showed Mauricio Pochettino’s departure 12 months ago to be replaced by the Special One.
“Before Jose came, we were struggling a little bit,” said Sissoko. “I would say that the Champions League final i mpacted on us because to lose that final was a big drama for us.
“We came back with a lot of motivation to do well, but something was missing.
“Jose came with a l ot of energy, a lot of positive things, and with a new philosophy that helped us to come out again.
“I will say first of all that it’s because of the manager. He brings something to the team, he brings positive vibes.
“Maybe we needed to change something. People react well to what he’s asking, so that’s good.
“If one trophy comes a lot will follow, but it’s not that easy. So let’s all work together, try to win a lot of games and try to get something at the end.”
Sissoko is a warm, engaging character and you can easily see why he is a big figure in the Spurs dressing room.
He also connected with the fans on a community event this week.
The club is proud of its Tottenham Hotspur Foundation and this week Sissoko spent time chatting to Premier League Charitable Fund award winners.
He is keen to keep on engaging with the community and added: “It is so important to keep that relationship.
“We know the fans are always behind us.
Th e y h av e su p - ported us since the beginning.
“It must be tough for them to not be able to come and watch some of the games.”