Tottenham defeated Southampton this evening 2-1 and overall, deserved it. It got Ryan Mason off to a winning start in his role as the Tottenham interim manager.
Mason can guide Tottenham to Carabao Cup success and win all the remaining Premier League fixtures and he will still not get the managers job permanently for one simple reason. He is not a brand manager.
And even if Daniel Levy did give him the job, he would have the shadow of an axe over his head at all times.
I like Mason, I want him to succeed and would have no issue with him being handed the job on a permanent basis but Levy is all about branding and selling Tottenham to sponsors. Having an unproven 29-year-old in the job simply does not fit the criteria.
It was clear this evening that the players had a hangover from the Mourinho era, that was evident from the lacklustre first half and all that Mason had to do at half time was to tell them he is in charge now and they can put Mourinho out of their minds.
Whatever Mason said, it worked and we saw a vastly different Spurs than we have seen for a very long time in the second half, whether that lasts, I do not know but it was still refreshing to see.
Spurs will still be underdogs against Man City at the weekend but I go into that game with more confidence than I did a week ago and I suspect a lot of Spurs fans will do so as well.
Mason has started well, the way the players embraced him at full time was good to see and I really do hope that this works out for the young man, he has got off to a good start and long may it continue.
But being the manager next season is very unlikely, certainly while Daniel Levy is in charge of Corporate Tottenham.