MEAN OR NOTHING
Want to be winners, Spurs? Take Jose’s advice
DIMITAR BERBATOV has urged Tottenham’s players to trust in Jose Mourinho if they want to become winners.
Former White Hart Lane cult hero Berbatov was in the last Spurs side to lift a trophy – 11 years ago.
And after watching the Amazon documentary All or Nothing, which charts the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino and the arrival of Mourinho as manager last season, he agrees with the Portuguese that Harry Kane and Co have to become a right bunch of b******s.
Berbatov said: “I am a big fan of the show and it is clear that not only has Mourinho been a winner at every club he has worked for, he also expects to win trophies for Spurs.
“The big problem he has is that, while he is used to winning, his players aren’t.
Ruthless
“They don’t have the mentality that Jose has. It was clear from watching the documentary that Mourinho is frustrated by that.
“He hasn’t gone to Spurs to babysit. He will want to win something and qualify for the Champions League.
“I thought it was fantastic when he told the players they are too nice.
“He is right – the good guys don’t win stuff.
“To win at the highest level you have to be ruthless b******s, like Jose says.
“On the pitch you have to have that killer instinct.
“The time to be nice is when you aren’t playing football.”
Berbatov, now 39 and an ambassador for Betfair, led the line when Juande Ramos’ Spurs side beat Chelsea in the 2008 League Cup final.
He added: “The longer it goes, the more the players will feel the stress and the tension.
“Daniel Levy (Tottenham’s chief executive) decided to lose Pochettino and go for Mourinho because he knew he needed someone who could win trophies
“I know the Spurs fans want attractive football, but what they want more than anything is to see their team win something. I think Mourinho can bring both. He is a manager who can play good football – but who also knows when to be ruthless.”
Mourinho is seen in the documentary being brutally honest with Dele Alli about his attitude to training. Berbatov reckons it was exactly what the England midfielder needed to hear.
He said: “I thought the face-to-face meeting with Dele was so good to see.
“I am not sure that Dele would have enjoyed what Mourinho told him, but players love working for a coach who tells them exactly how he sees things.
“I’m sure I would have liked playing for Jose. I think there would have been a lot of conversations, but he would have brought the best out of me.
Lazy
“What we saw when he told Dele that he was being lazy in training was done to make him a better player.
“When the guy on the other side of the desk is Jose Mourinho, then you have to listen.
“Dele has so much talent. Now he must ask himself if he wants to be one of the best.”
For more from Betfair Ambassador Dimitar Berbatov head to www.betfair.com/berbatov