THE timing and the speed of Jose Mourinho’s departure told me one thing for certain – Spurs have already done a deal for their next manager.
There’s no doubt Tottenham will have spoken to someone about the job, I know exactly how it works.
Mauricio Pochettino left at 8pm one night and by 8am the next morning Jose was at the ground and ready to take training. It’s just how it goes.
I’d say the man they have lined up is in work at the moment and can’t leave until the season is done – or if it’s an international manager, until after the Euros.
That’s why Ryan Mason is in charge for now – but I guarantee they will have something sorted already.
It may be a German, an Italian, a national team manager like Belgium’s Roberto Martinez, or someone in the Midlands.
But they’ve definitely got someone lined up – and if you asked me who I’d put in, it would be Brendan Rodgers ahead of Martinez and RB Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann.
I’d have thought Brendan has a great chance, too, because I know they went for him when they got rid of me.
They spoke to him a few times before Andre Villas-Boas got the job.
I know he’s got an FA Cup final to come and the top four to go for with Leicester but look at the potential at Spurs and it’s massive.
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
He could win things at Tottenham that they never have before – but he’ll never beat what Claudio Ranieri did, because Leicester were Premier League champions under him.
It’s all about timing – like no one really wanting to be the man who followed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
Tottenham’s stadium is the best in the country, if you keep Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, get Dele Alli playing again, a bit of tinkering and they wouldn’t be a million miles off.
I don’t go along with anyone who says Jose was sacked now because it would have been more difficult if he won the Carabao Cup this afternoon. That would make no difference.
Owner Joe Lewis and chairman Daniel Levy are fearless and ruthless – I finished fourth, a point off third place, and they got rid of me!
What I do believe is that Daniel pushed the boat out to get Gareth Bale to Tottenham and then watched him get five minutes here and ten minutes there.
You can’t tell me he couldn’t get in more than he did. When he starts a game, when he’s made to feel important, he’s still one of their best players.
Daniel wouldn’t have liked what he saw, he’ll have had the hump when Bale was hardly being used.
And I tell you what, he could still play a massive part in the last few games.
When he’s on the right wing and cutting inside, he’s so difficult to stop.
I’m sure he’ll play at Wembley today and he’ll definitely give the Man City left-back problems.
If Kane is fit and Ryan picks those three in the forward line, I don’t think Tottenham are without a chance.
They’ll have a right go and going into it as underdogs with nothing to lose is a great position to be in.
When I saw the line-ups for last week’s FA Cup semi-final, I really fancied Chelsea against City – and I certainly wouldn’t be writing off Spurs either.
Kane, Son and Bale is as good a front three as there is – more out-and-out goalscorers than City, in fact – and they look good value to me.
But whether they win the cup or not, I do think that behind the scenes at least they’re already celebrating having their new man nailed down.
It would be a big shock to me if they haven’t, put it that way.
⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
