Only one way out when Jose’s talking like this

Three stages of Mourinho that end in inevitable exit

SO, we have got to the stage where Jose Mourinho starts to blame his players. It always happens eventually. Results slide, cracks open and blame is shifted.

At Real Madrid, M our in ho suffered ‘ the most treacherous team I have had in my life’. In his second spell at Chelsea, he felt that ‘my work is betrayed’.

Now, having seen his Tottenham team spurn yet another lead, this time against Newcastle, it was for one simple reason: ‘Same coach, different players.’ Same coach, same pattern. For a manager as risk-averse as Mourinho, the decision to alienate his players, absolve himself of the blame, while pointing the finger at the squad under his stewardship is one hell of a gamble.

Tottenham’s season is so delicately poised that even a misplaced breath is enough to bring down the house of cards.

Mourinho’s side are already in the Carabao Cup final, one win away from the club’s first trophy in 12 years. The top four is not dead and buried yet either but Mourinho faces his former club Manchester United today knowing that a defeat could leave them six points adrift.

His comments are to spark a reaction. What reaction he gets is what will define his legacy at Tottenham, but defender Joe Rodon believes Mourinho is only trying to make them mentally strong.

‘Winning is the most important thing,’ he said.

‘That is I guess what the gaffer is trying to improve and put into us mentally — to be relentless and be winners in the mind.’