The removal from post of Mourinho to me signalled not the end of the Special One, but the end of the charade that Daniel Levy’s charade at Tottenham is in some, in any way working. The belief in players, many of whom are time expired and unexceptional is in my view badly ill-judged and ultimately destructive, ultimately not in the best interests of a football club.
Of course, come half past six this evening all these words could look intensely foolish. However, my view of football is a little broader than one game. Should Ryan Mason win the cup, then it will be very much his achievement. Aided by a squad wanting to show the world who knew better, but as the coach, even one just week into the job, it will be his win.
The Athletic reveals a list of gripes which are either poorly worded or thin on substance. At least Donald Trump’s haters were able to point to a few solid examples of his uttering hurty words, opposed to making inferences as to his unsuitability for office.
I look at this charge sheet and can’t help but wonder where the entitlement came from, for players who had in the main won nothing, achieved nothing, to feel so put upon by a man who had spent his entire career winning. Not competing, not this, nor the other, just winning.
The charge that made me laugh out loud was the bit about ‘stopping the opposition’ – fair comment or foul? Well, nobody has seen a Premier League concede winning positions so frequently in our entire lives.
Of course, these mumbles of discontent existed under Pochettino too. So there’s a case to be made that some of the current squad aren’t happy with anyone telling them what to do.
Dumping Mourinho could well be the making of this Spurs side. Beating Manchester City could be just the springboard to the sort of greatness we all want to see.
It’s a pity these players couldn’t turn it on against Dinamo Zagreb, as a Europa League Cup might have actually been easier to obtain without facing Man City.
Spurs lose today, and the ramifications for Daniel Levy will be increasingly uncomfortable ones. There are many – not me incidentally – that are still waiting for an apology for the European Super League business.
Who would be a masterclass grade businessman, eh?
I agree that it’s by no means all Jose’s fault under ENIC but let’s not forget, this is his third P45 in a row. This man is being constantly undermined in that case, if you’re making excuses for that over 5 years or so.
Perhaps the nature of the modern game, player mentality etc is literally undermining him? Who knows, but he keeps getting sacked these days for one reason or another.
True but Wenger’s decline began about 10 years ago, that’s my point. He’s not finished but are his powers diminishing gradually? All I know is, during working at Sky for a year, no other clubs had gone near him when the big jobs had come up.
Unfortunately the players have become enabled due to good ole Doctor Evil. Firstly he won’t push the underachievers out of the door, allowing them to hang around and spread poison. Secondly he lets players complain to him directly, a policy that undermines his managers and would only be tolerated in most businesses under exceptional circumstances. If a player asks to meet him he should only agree under the condition that the manager is also present.
Bale and Ali are the most frequently cited scapegoats, but he hardly played them and had several other options in those positions. Not world beaters, but if his motivational methods had been effective then the team performances might not had stunk the place out quite as much as they did, even without those two?
Precisely because I didn’t believe he was the right man for the job. It was probably a reasonable assumption… 🤔
Yep, Harris is a great ventriloquist.
In truth that is only part of the issue with Wenger. He improved his English contingent the back four in particular and recruited young diamonds at next to no cost Viera Henry Anelka.
So he was both astute and a great coach it pains me to say.
I hope we win but am prepared for the avalanche of less informed observers who believe this squad is suddenly great and Mason is a spiritual guru.
This is lucky rabbits’ foot territory in terms of practical application.
Where’s Dele Alli? Not injured, just unfit because he couldn’t be bothered under Mourinho – who quite rightly thought little of him.
Without being rude we’ve covered all that over the last few months.
Player power – I can’t imagine Ferguson or Shankly being interested in what Dele Alli had to say.
Bale was a joke signing – so far he’s scored against pub sides – nobody else.
Levy’s total intransigence when it comes to transfers – yet THFC Property Inc are still buying up real estate in North London.
With JM you need everybody listening and everybody saying ‘yes sir’ – that wasn’t even possible under the sainted Pochettino.
The manager is only one component. Arsenal had ambition and Wenger was backed and allowed to build a team in his own vision. In his pomp Wenger had the pick of the best French players, was backed and didn’t have junk foisted on him. Dein and Wenger both wanted the same thing. Jose arrived at Spurs, inherited somebody elses squad and only had one window to bring in his iwn men. All this with the purse strings well and truly tightened. No manager would succeed under the current regime at Spurs.
The last time I checked stopping the opposition from scoring was paramount to winning football matches and trophies. The unrest most likely came from players incapable of getting on message. I wonder what the alternative is, adopt a you score one, we’ll score two policy? Son and Kane would have ther work cut out with Dier, Sanchez and Aurier in defence operating under that approach
Harry I’d be interested in your reasons for why it didn’t work out at Spurs, which it clearly didn’t.
It would make an interesting and much commented on blog.
Lots of similar stuff being banded about I know, however, I am clinging to the butterflies in my stomach sensation I felt as a kid, whenever this club was about to play in a Cup Final.
Wenger was (like it or not) brilliant for several years, however he was intensely loyal to one club but if he hadn’t been, could have easily managed the likes of Inter, Real or any of the biggest clubs. For whatever reason his powers gradually diminished with the passing of time.
Wenger is 71.
JM is 58.
Woah!? Biden has supporters still!? Who are these people? The man’s a plank, a dangerous one. Pinocchio.
I think your allegedly balanced view expressed here would’ve had been more believable had you not continuously
posted anti-Jose comments for months on end beforehand.
The reasons why it didn’t work are no mystery.
“I look at this charge sheet and can’t help but wonder where the entitlement came from, for players who had in the main won nothing, achieved nothing, to feel so put upon by a man who had spent his entire career winning. Not competing, not this, nor the other, just winning.”
Sums us up perfectly Mr Hotspur – too many underacheivers with a sense of entitlement.
Okay, I take your point, but all I can suggest is that you scroll past content that doesn’t appeal.
This does need to be published. It’s today’s news, which inevitably reflects what happened (past tense) inside Spurs.
Agree with pretty much all you say ES.
In the case of Wenger his powers were diminished by having to sell the clubs best assets to fund the stadium. Man City must have bought five of six players from Arsenal. So whilst weakening his own sides he strengthened another.
Isn’t the point that today is about the team and nothing else, I can’t go on with the same old , not today.
For whatever reason it didn’t work, personally I never envisaged that it would. Regardless of the style of play and his recent history, it was a poor fit.
How well Jose fits in with the game in 2021 is anyone’s guess but that isn’t actually being ‘disrespectful’ of a great manager at all. It’s being realistic, and there are many, many examples of managers that lose that mojo, that acutely keen sense of the zeitgeist and the present climate.
Wenger was (like it or not) brilliant for several years, however he was intensely loyal to one club but if he hadn’t been, could have easily managed the likes of Inter, Real or any of the biggest clubs. For whatever reason his powers gradually diminished with the passing of time.
Why is it so staggeringly unreasonable to suggest the same fate has befallen Jose as well? It’s really not anything but logic.
Blimey!
It changes nothing when we win today. I fully expect City to lay down, play a ‘fixture management’ team and lose. All that will mean little. ENIC are still ENIC, WHL is still rubble, and the club are still in mountainous debt. A buy, Stoke, Chelsea who gave up a H/T on pens and VAR assisted Brentford is not, and never will be an achievement. Still, good to make a few quid I suppose.
Same list different manager. Mediocre players playing the blame game.
Of course, these mumbles of discontent existed under Pochettino too. So there’s a case to be made that some of the current squad aren’t happy with anyone telling them what to do.
A strong case. Or they are to stupid to understand the instructions. The exit from the Europa League was telling. Irrespective of today’s result the playing staff are not immune to their professional responsibilities which have been lacking for sometime now. Levy is like Teflon Tony Blair. Nothing sticks to them. Unaccountable and useless. Nice cheese room though.
I am not sure that will be serious ramifications for Levy should we lose today. We are playing a great side with well over a billion invested in recruitment who player for player are superior to us. Only Harry would get a game for them.
I am sure that there are those who will say that with Jose at the helm we would have beaten City but given our recent form against top half moderate sides and mangerless Croatian sides that’s a big ask.
If Levy faces issues issues re Jose it would be more why did he hire him in the first place rather than why did he fire him? I suspect the fan base now that the Jose experiment is over are in the main pleased. The scorched earth strategy that finished his reigns at both Chelsea and United was increasingly evident at Spurs and both those clubs decided they could live without him
Yesterday’s news! Ha, I’m not sure this one is going to be swept under the carpet. The ramifications are yet to come!
Another rumour.
I laugh louder every time I watch the puppet Biden speak, if I’m honest
Well… it’s not really.
Today and many more days are in fact all about the chaos and what comes out of it.
Yesterdays news, today is about Ryan, the team, and trying to win a Trophy and I will be supporting them all.
Must be more than that now? Wasn’t it £600 mill the stadium debt & borrow another £175 Mill this season?
Perhaps because they are winners and we’re not.I suspect that could be an important issue to prospective buyers.
3 billion though,Levy probably told em 5.
That night against DZ was a low point of a low season especially combined with the white flag at the Emirates.
Past caring if it was Mourinho or the players
but well done for bringing in a reference to Trump how we all laughed when he mimicked a disabled man on camera.
Liverpool don;t come with £600+ wotrth of debt.
Also, there’s a lso the small matter that we already have investors
Liverpool had an offer to be bought out, if that money is about why where we not targeted?