In the rough and tumble of the European Super League’s collapse in England, the dismissal of José Mourinho has almost slipped under the radar. I have to hand it to Daniel Levy, his timing was superb.
This would be the equivalent of announcing a tax hike on the same day that a significant tragedy occurred, such as the death of someone widely regarded as a British institution, and all media would be flooded with tributes, etc.
A source close to the club tells me that whilst the atmosphere inside Hotspur Way had been ‘difficult’ for some time, what sent Mr. Levy over the edge was a conversation about this weekend’s cup final.
When asked how confident the Portuguese was ahead of Sunday’s game, Mourinho replied he and his staff had no confidence at all.
One might reasonably presume that a call went through to Joe Lewis and that the decision to ‘relieve’ everyone involved of their duties was then agreed upon.
Can Ryan Mason get a tune out of Spurs against Manchester City? I’m with the bookmakers – not a chance.
Actually it’s not unheard of and probably quite normal for a manager to say what he apparently did – if done in private – as long as he maintains a confident front with his players. I don’t suppose Jose told the players that they’d actually be better off taking the afternoon off this Sunday to go fishing or to go for a spin in the countryside .in their flash cars. But his comment did look funny as reported and made me chuckle.
Yeah, and the thing is, we beat them at our place 2-0 this season, so why can’t we beat them again. Bloody nonsense !!! 🙂
Is it EIGHT semi finals, really? I thought it was seven! It seems somehow appropriate that in the dismal – but somehow comical – soap opera that is Spurs we should have a manager – and one of the great serial winners, too – essentially admit we had no chance on Sunday! We’re becoming what used to be known as a music hall joke.
I think he might have pulled a rabbit out of the hat on Sunday, though, a bit of the old magic!
In honesty, I’m not sure that Mo is now! I think perhaps his most memorable achievement was winning the CL with Porto. As the Portuguese side beat Monaco 3-0, I remember thinking that the sum total of his team was greater than the sum of the individual parts; that a manager’s hand and influence was very apparent here.
Almost uniquely dim!
We need a resounding chorus of “If you hate Daniel Levy, clap your hands”. The Scots chanted this in relation to their manager, Bobby Brown, during the England v Scotland game in 1971, a game which started quite promisingly for the Scots as, for about 20 minutes, Jimmy Johnstone was giving Terry Cooper another roasting until our midfield took control and cut off the supply to the little winger. Scotland eventually comfortably beaten 3-1 in this game, had had an absolutely miserable season.
More likely, yes, but comically Spursy the suggestion that Mourinho had said “We have no confidence at all”
I must admit I have seen the funny side of that; it has given me a good laugh: asked how confident he was “We have no confidence at all”. It just seems to sum us up, doesn’t it? Though I’m not sure it’s actually true.
I read this as well. But the source that spoke to Duncan also said that Levy was looking for an argument to justify sacking him, his mind was made up apparently, he would have found something else to argue about – Frank McAvennie is still peddling the ESL story that Mourinho (man of the people) hated the idea so Levy binned him.
NOT TRUE. Mourinho was going all out for the cup, especially as he knew that it was the only way he would have kept his job. He had an argument with levy because he wanted to rest his best players tonight. according to journalist Duncan Castles, Mourinho and Levy failed to see eye-to-eye when the former Spurs boss outlined his plans to rest players tonight for this weekend’s final.
You really are dumb. Worse comment I have seen for ages, both poch and mourinho are great managers. Mourinho just needed a couple of good defenders and needed to get rid of the dead wood.
Don’t ask the question if you don’t want the answer. That’s the problem for Levy nd Co they only want people who blow smoke up their backsides telling them how great they are.
Yet more proof Levy has little understanding of football when appointing a manager with a reputation of saying it as it is, then when being told how it is doesn’t like the answer.
He won’t leave. He never sees it as his fault and the Levy apologists are just too dim to see the recurring pattern.
Wow.
Just….
😶
Southgate is emerging as a potential candidate. God help us!
Well based on how bad we’ve been recently, you can’t blame him for being pessimistic. City will be very much up for it after losing to Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final.
All these two way conversations between the bald Mr Bean and various managers, many top of their game, always ends with the wrong person being sacked doesn’t it? It’s time for Levy to fall on his sword for once. Most of us are sick and tired of the lying, scheming little weasel.
When the fans do come back in significant numbers expect the intelligent ones to demand “Levy out, ENIC out”. That is apart from the swooning fanboys who can’t see beyond their rose tinted spectacles.
For anyone to say we have no chance in the cup final is just plain wrong.
If Moanio had stayed then yes, I agree. The man is poison.
The best option for the final was always to get rid, have no manager & let the players go out and do what they want / have fun / enjoy the day / give it a go, whichever.
Feck it, I’ll quote Star Trek 🙂
(Levy) Kirk: “My god Bones what have I done?”
Bones: “You’ve turned death into a fighting chance”
Still Levy out though
Now that would have been an Amazon show worth watching.
That’s what honesty does to you. I should think that Mourinho had realised by now that he couldn’t get a tune out of the current players and realised that Enic would never fund the necessary investment in the squad. People will ask why he took the job in the first place apart from the money. Perhaps he felt with his normal arrogance that he could change things at Spurs but nobody can. I am going to put a different slant on his dismissal. I believe that he was opposed to the ESL and that Levy couldn’t afford to let him air his opinion. Consequently he sacked him with the normal NDA signed and sealed to keep him quiet. Then we had the tsunami of events which has finished the ESL for the time being. Lo and behold, Levy isn’t getting the £300 mill from the ESL deal which would have helped with the club’s debt and paid for Mourinho’s compensation. Wowzer! Another masterstroke from our beloved chairman. What a knucklehead!
Beggars bloody belief, doesn’t matter who you are, where you sit, how can you say that we have no chance. That will then filter down to the players. Winning is more than anything else a Mindset, sod going into a final already beaten. The club has had this mentality for far too long, you do not lose 8 FA Cup semi finals in a row if you have a ‘Winning’ mentality !! H, perhaps you shouldn’t tell us such things, makes my blood boil !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
I agree, cup competitions are all about upsets. Wigan in the FA, Birmingham in the LC. It’s 90 minutes.
For Mourinho to say he had no confidence at all it just ludicrous.
Its painful isn’t it? Imagine if they weren’t “fans” of the club!!
Unbelievable.
When Poch was sacked an ITK on another board said “he was putting his head on the block to be fired” and this sounds exactly the same scenario.
If not why not just say “very difficult game but we have a shot” (or somesuch sh*t).
You would like to think there was a semblence of responsibility for the goings on in the last few days,Levy doesn’t even consider such emotions.His arrogance is such that he is always right no matter what.This charlatan is a coward hiding behind uncle Joe’s position of autonomy
This doesn’t surprise me at all and for some reason I’m annoyed with both parties. Mourinho for his complete lack of ambition in a one off game (especially after Cities last 2 results were losses) and Levy for seemingly binning someone off for expressing an opinion – obviously there are other factors (poor results, mood in the dressing room etc.) but it just shows that our chairman is a toddler not getting his own way.
In light of the last few days I really don’t see how we can continue on this current path. Something has to give, nobody is buying Spurs in this current climate but Levy’s position looks untenable.