José Mourinho clearly warms to Japhet Tanganga, and it isn’t difficult to understand why. The boy has the required technical ability, not to mention the type of character that is also worth investing in. In today’s pre-Newcastle presser referred to Japhet as ‘humble’.
After the January transfer window closed, The Athletic reported in their transfer deadline day tracker column, that it was the Portuguese that had blocked any discussions involving Japhet leaving Tottenham. Something one would imagine that the 22-year-old took great pleasure in sharing with his family at the time.
Beyond sustaining his performances, the next steps in Japhet’s will be crucial in his long-term development. There will be some – of course – very quick to tell us all that Mourinho doesn’t do youth development as if this were a mother telling a baby-minder that her child ‘doesn’t eat vegetables. The reality is that José is has been (very broadly speaking) a Mr. Fix-It character, opposed to a coach spinning a tale about the development of a ‘philosophy’ or whatever.
The question is, where on the pitch for us will Japhet play? Some fans on social media are split…
