The marriage from “hell” that everyone got wrong
I struggle to find an appropriate introduction to this topic which is why I will cut straight to the chase. Everybody has a different opinion on José Mourinho and what he brings to a football club. Unfortunately, sometimes that opinion overshadows the reality, and we want to prioritize our own agenda and wishful thinking over the truth. In the following paragraphs, I will try to highlight why José Mourinho is what Tottenham Hotspur needs, and he is exactly what they don’t want. And he is here to stay.
Tottenham Hotspur has always been viewed as the club that will go part of the distance, and then as soon as they can see the summit, they will disintegrate and fall into the abyss. The term “Spursy” is despised by the fans of Tottenham and used to mock and highlight the way the club always seems to fail on that final hurdle.
Their record against the traditional “Top 4” isn’t deplorable, but goes to show us where they rank historically against the “big boys”.
Mauricio Pochettino and Tottenham Hotspur had their greatest ever run in the European Cup/Champions League. The demolition of Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16 was followed by defeating Manchester City in the quarterfinals and then a comeback from 3:0 down on aggregate in the last minute of the semifinal in Amsterdam against Ajax.
Many fans believed that’s Tottenham’s year. They will finally break their luck and will bring the biggest success of the club’s history.
On 1st June 2019, Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid was the stage for the Champions League final. On the other side of the pitch, Liverpool FC awaited their 6th triumph in the Champions League, an all-time British record.
The truth about this final is this — Tottenham was never going to win that Final. It could’ve been played in London, Paris, Tokyo, even on the Moon, it did not matter. Not only did they lose the Final, but they also were not competitive. Poor Liverpool side on the day, rather tight and nervous, perhaps because of the occasion and the expectations, had zero trouble defending Tottenham. The Final was almost over before it started. Spurs went back to their “Spursy” way. So close and at the same time, so far.
The following season the club couldn’t manage to wash away the funk of the lost Final and the fall continued. Three wins in the league, 7–2 home defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League were the reasoning behind the tough decision. Mauricio Pochettino was gone, and the club decided to change their way. José Mourinho was the complete opposite of what Pochettino has been in Tottenham. The club felt a new direction is needed and the Portuguese tactician was the man to provide the “kick up the backside” and build the new Tottenham Hotspur.
The club historically has been pursuing the success that José Mourinho is synonymous with. The exceptional manager proved himself in Portugal, England, Italy, and Spain, winning the leagues in all countries and adding two Champions League trophies, and two more Europa League trophies.
On the 20th of November 2019, José Mourinho was revealed as the new Tottenham manager, and with that, a new chapter in the history of Tottenham would begin. Or at least that’s what we thought. Almost a year and a half after this appointment, Tottenham Hotspur managed to outdo their worst ever European defeats. After a comfortable 2:0 win at home, Spurs had to travel to Zagreb for the second leg against Dinamo. Most pundits and analysts thought it was a protocol game. Unfortunately, Spurs thought it was a protocol game also.
The final score was 3:0 for Dinamo Zagreb in one truly magical night for the Croatians and with that, Tottenham Hotspur went out of European football in a rather underwhelming fashion. The manager ripped apart the players’ attitude and desire in that match, four days after he questioned the same things when his team lost the North London derby against Arsenal.
The game in Zagreb was the epitome of what “Spursy” means. Overconfidence bordering on plain arrogance, no emotion, and very little desire to play the game, Tottenham was embarrassed. Their fans were embarrassed, their manager was embarrassed. Unfortunately, the players on the pitch did not show the same level of commitment. Some of them still live in the memories of “what it could’ve been” and that Champions League Final. Some of them already reached the pinnacle of their careers. Some of them aren’t serial winners, and some of them can’t do everything for their manager because they already gave it all. Some players are just not, as we like to label them, world-class. Some of them were just happy to be part of that team. And there is nothing wrong with that, if you aren’t coached by José Mourinho.
For José Mourinho, this is not good enough. For José Mourinho, the most important thing is the group. Not individuals with aspirations to enhance their off-the-field careers, not individuals that perform well only when the team performs well. José Mourinho likes winners, he likes a man with responsibility and desire to become better and better, a man that will sacrifice.
Here is a table that shows the most used players under José across his whole career. Two things stand out for me immediately. The first one is the type of players used but will go through that later on. The second one is the number of seasons those players were used. Apart from Ricardo Carvalho, a player who followed Mourinho everywhere apart from Inter Milan, everyone else has been used for two to three seasons. People like to call it the “third-year curse” but others like to excruciate Mourinho because of his nature and the intensity he coaches with, players get burned out rather quickly, and either a rebuild is needed or changes in manager/direction.
The players have to be mentally tough and ready to fight for the manager, themselves, the team, and the supporters. There is a high level of requirements and inner strength that the players need to have, which then the manager transforms into a winning formula.
Nobody saw the rise of FC Porto and their two-year dominance of European football, winning back-to-back the UEFA Cup and the Champions League. Nobody thought we will see a greater team than “The Invincibles”(Arsenal 2003/04), and the following season Chelsea won their first title in 50 years by topping the points total and completely dismantling the Premier League along the way. Nobody saw the first Italian club to win the treble, and nobody saw Real Madrid breaking the records for points, wins, away wins, and goals in La Liga. Nobody but Mourinho. He always had that confidence and belief in himself, most of the time perceived as baseless arrogance by the people disliking his character, particularly the media and opponents. But in his first Champions League knockout game with Tottenham, the fans created a mosaic that spoke volumes to me. “To dare is to do”.
But since the “magic man” doesn’t deliver immediately like before, we hurry up to dismantle him. Once again, the agendas were pushed towards Mourinho being outdated, and he is becoming tiring for the players. The funny part of all this is how the same people criticizing Mourinho were criticizing the players under Pochettino. There was an outrage when Mauricio was sacked and all the blame was put on the players who weren’t performing and the lack of investment. Very sentimental to that decision and showing a lot of sympathy. But I guess, the media works that way.
Football and life, in general, is a funny sport. It is one thing to play the game and reap the results and entirely another story to push false narratives and create unnecessary drama by commenting on meaningless situations trying to advance your narrative, being good or bad.
The same people who sit back and laugh at the old “Spursy way” are dreading the moment when Spurs win something of significance. They will dread that day, even more, when José Mourinho brings success to Tottenham Hotspur FC.
It is vital and, without a shadow of a doubt, the most important battle of Tottenham Hotspur FC history. José Mourinho chose Tottenham Hotspur to build something. He chooses this football club because, deep down, he knows the magnitude of this challenge. Deep down, he knows this win will mean more than any other in his career.
So I direct this message to Daniel Levy and Joe Lewis. Stay on course and trust this man. Through thick and thin. You have already trusted everybody else and where did that get you?
