‘JOSE THREW ME UNDER BUS’
MATT DOHERTY has revealed how Jose Mourinho almost drove him out of Tottenham.
This time last year the Ireland international defender was left to stew all alone on the team bus at Aston Villa after being axed by the self-styled Special One.
So disillusioned was he with the situation, Doherty admits he seriously considered jumping in his car and leaving rather than watching the clash in the stands. The Spurs wing-back, 30, declared: “We’d played Arsenal, lost 2-1 and I didn’t have a good game. Then we played Villa away.
“There were nine subs last season and 21 of us travelled.
“And that was the time when the manager left people out and brought in some kids on the bench.
“I wasn’t even on the bench. And it was Covid time and you weren’t allowed into the dressing room if not in the squad. I was sat on the bus on my own. Genuinely – because it was the international break straight after – I was so close to getting the car and going to Manchester.
“Obviously, he was trying to prove a point to everybody, not just me, but that was not fun.”
Doherty did not have much more joy under Nuno Espirito Santo, but life is sweet with Antonio Conte. He said: “It’s just now I feel I have his trust. I’ve started maybe five games in a row.
“I feel I’ve gained his trust and I’m able to repay him. I’m really happy how things are going.”
On the eve of Newcastle’s visit to north London, Doherty added: “You can imagine with a full pre-season what kind of shape and what kind of state of mind we might be in starting next season.
That’s exciting.“