YOU MUST BE KIDDING,JOSE Big-spending Mourinho blasts Chelsea & United for NOT bringing on young players, despite splashing out over £900M at his old clubs
Mourinho promises passion and sets out his manifesto to win over Spurs fans and carry on the club’s ‘magnificent’ work
BIG-SPENDING Jose Mourinho kicked off his Spurs reign by cheekily claiming his former clubs are not good at bringing through young players.
He will speak publicly for the first time today after signing a three-year deal worth £45million to succeed Mauricio Pochettino.
But in praising the Tottenham academy, the former Manchester United boss – who had two spells at Chelsea – overlooked his own record of splashing out more than £400m at Old Trafford and leaving only Scott
THE charm offensive was as predictable as it was seductive.
Jose Mourinho’s first interview could easily have been conducted to the soundtrack of that old Serge Gainsbourg-Jane Birkin classic Je t’aime.
With a glint in his eye, the well-rested 56-year-old promised passion for his job and new club. Fancy a taster? How about a jab at Chelsea and Manchester United for apparently not being as good at producing players ready for the first team as they are at Spurs?
That will go down well at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford. Welcome back, Jose – we thought we’d lost you.
By the time he popped up on Spurs TV at about 5pm, he was still trending on social media.
Contrary to the critics’ belief that his image has tarnished, Mourinho is still box office. Even after a year in the wilderness. In his opening address to a sceptical, apprehensive fan base he ticked all the right boxes.
For all the foundations laid by Mauricio Pochettino over the past fiveand-a-half years, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy (right) has – quite literally – picked a winner.
If Mourinho can persuade contract rebels Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen to sign new deals he will go a long way to winning over his doubters.
In the meantime, fans need a clear vision and firm leadership after the chaotic, uncertain last days of Pochettino. So here was Mourinho setting out his manifesto. “What can I promise? Passion,” he said. “For my job, but also passion for my club. It’s a privilege when a manager goes to a club and feels that happiness in relation to the squad that he’s going to have.
“These are not words of the moment. They are not words of me being the Tottenham head coach.
These are words I’ve been told and I’ve repeated in the last three, four, five years, even as an opponent. To play against Tottenham at White Hart Lane was always hard, but beautiful.”
There were nods to the defeats he had suffered as boss of Chelsea and
Manchester United against Spurs. “It was one of these places I used to go with passion, but also with respect. I always spoke about the club’s potential.
“I always spoke about the qualities of the players. I always spoke about the magnificent work the club was doing.”
Asked about the new stadium, he plumped up the pillows and laid it on even thicker. “When you say beautiful stadium, you are too humble. You have to say the best in the world. That is the reality. The training ground is second to none.
“It probably can only be compared with some American Football training grounds. You cannot compare with European football at any level – and I’ve been in the majority of the best places.
“It’s impossible to compare anything the same as the stadium. It’s something that has to make us all very proud.
“But not just that, the conditions you have to work in are absolutely amazing.” His words were punctuated by shots of his first training session, held yesterday afternoon, with his new players. Some had approached to say hello during lunch.
All listened intently as the man who had landed 20 trophies over the last 15 years spoke of his willingness to turn them into winners.
West Ham on Saturday had looked set to be Pochettino’s Waterloo. If Mourinho really still has it, this could be the start of the most successful period in Tottenham’s history.