ONE OF THE GOOD TANGUYS
Mourinho praises Ndombele’s attitude and reformation and says he is an exampl to others – so are you listening Dele?
JOSE MOURINHO has held up Tanguy Ndombele as the shining example of how to fight your way back into the Tottenham team.
Manager Mourinho has warned he is fed-up of players “moaning and being frustrated”, and instead wants to see them knuckle down, just as £ 55million record- buy Ndombele has done.
There was a clear message for out- of- favour Dele Alli in
Mourinho’s words, as the England midfielder was fed-up after being left out for two games, and was substituted in Thursday’s Europa League win against Shkendija after only an hour.
But it looked an even worse state of affairs for 23-year-old Ndombele just a few months ago. He appeared to be on his way out of Tottenham after being subbed at half time at Burnley in March, was left out in the cold by Mourinho, and seemed determined to return to France after just one season.
However, Mourinho revealed he held heart-to-heart talks with the midfielder, who is also now fully fit after frustrations with injuries and struggling to adapt to English football. The Spurs boss said: “That’s what I want. I don’t want players to moan, I don’t want players to be frustrated, I don’t want players to feel that I have something against them when I don’t pick them.
“I want players to fight for the minutes they want to be on the pitch and, when you play for Tottenham, you have to understand that Tottenham wants to be better. For the rewards to be better and better, the players cannot have a comfortable position on the pitch.
“They have to be ready to fight for the minutes they want to be on the pitch.”
Mourinho clearly likes what he
KNUCKLE DOWN.. w sees in Ndombele, an ressive ability on the ball mixed h the power and strength to minate in midfield. learly, the Spurs boss wants product from his players and, le Alli is struggling for form and fidence, goals and assists will hard to come by. ut Mourinho insists Ndombele vidence that things can change ckly for any player willing to get r head down and work hard. just think he felt the direction as going in was not the right . It’s something that players h me feel all of the time, that I t give positions for free,” added urinho.
The players have to fight, they have to perform, m, I would never give him a place in the team because se he was an expensive e buy or because he’s an important player. .
“He has to do o that by himself, f, probably with the e help of his colleagues. agues. With the help of his team-mates, mates, he went in a good direction.
“Tanguy, step by step, is doing very well. He was good and brought a very good dynamic to the team (against st Shkendija). He managed to recover over some balls, managed to make ake an effort in defensive transitions. itions. It was a positive game for r him.”
RUNNING SCARED
Dele Alli is out in the cold at Spurs and has a job to convince Mourinho