RYAN MASON, 29, has been appointed interim head coach of Tottenham until the end of the season.
While Julian Nagelsmann is closing in on becoming the new Spurs permanent boss after Jose Mourinho’s sacking on Monday, just SIX days before the EFL Cup final.
Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
MOUR TO GIVE
Jose Mourinho proved he was a special friend after appearing to give his former staff member a lift to collect their stuff from Tottenham’s training ground.
The Special One was fired on Monday after 17 months in charge, just six days before Spurs face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.
Mourinho’s coaching staff Joao Sacramento, Nuno Santos, Carlos Lalin, and Giovanni Cerra were also relieved of their duties.
And the 58-year-old showed how much he valued loyalty after appearing to drive his goalkeeping coach Santos to Tottenham’s Enfield base today.
Mourinho, who had already cleared out his office the day before, then waited in his Aston Martin while Santos went inside to pick up his things.
It remains to see where the pair will end up next with the former Chelsea and Manchester United gaffer already ‘ready to go again’.
ICYMI
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has reportedly called an emergency meeting between all Premier League captains.
The Mail reports the England midfielder has taken the action as the fall-out from the breakaway Super League continues.
The 30-year-old will chair meeting with club reps from sides in and out of the breakaway.
Henderson previously helped lead players in their response to the crisis caused by the pandemic.
MORE ON LEVY
Another club boss added: “Daniel can paint himself as a victim but nobody was buying that at all. It’s too late for that.”
Richard Masters and the Prem leadership, as well as the clubs outside the Big Six, were left bolstered by a firm vow from PM Boris Johnson that he will bring in urgent legislation that would prevent the Six from joining the £4.6billion scheme.
That meeting involved representatives of Arsenal, Spurs and Manchester United supporters’ trusts and the Football Supporters Association, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham, as well as Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden.
Johnson is understood to have made it abundantly clear to the meeting that he would simply not allow the breakaway to take place.
SUPER LEAGUE EXCLUSIVE
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is “shaken” by the Super league backlash.
In a stunning act of contrition he told Brighton chief executive Paul Barber to pass on details of a conversation they had before the 14 clubs left out of the breakaway met with League chief Richard Masters.
In a message that left the clubs increasingly confident they have the rebels on the run and will be able to kill off the proposals within days, the Spurs chief conceded he may have misjudged the mood of the nation.
Barber, who previously served on the board at White Hart Lane told the clubs Levy said this was “not what I wanted, or expected”
The Brighton exec added: “Daniel says this all grew from a feeling that Uefa simply doesn’t listen to us as a League. He believes the big clubs deserve more respect and more money.”
But while Levy’s message was viewed by the clubs as the first recognition of the scale of the mistake, it did not spare him and the rest of the Big Six from the wrath of the 14 left on the outside.
One club source revealed: “Paul was told to pass on a simple message back – that Daniel and the rest of them were destroying all of us by this act.
“We are all still seething at what has gone on. Every single one of us. There is no sympathy at all for Levy or anyone else involved. They’re the ones who put us in this position because of their greed.”
KAN HE MAKE IT?
Ryan Mason does not know if Tottenham’s star striker Harry Kane will be fit for the Carabao Cup Final.
Spurs can end a 13-year trophy doubt on Sunday against Man City but may have to do it without the England captain after he hobbled off against Everton on Friday night.
Kane did not train on Monday and Tuesday and will miss Wednesday’s game against Southampton.
Interim boss Mason said: “I’m not sure currently, he didn’t train today.
“It’s a case of taking it day by day.
“We’re not sure about the weekend just yet but what we do know is Harry’s working hard to get over this injury.”
NEW BOSS SPEAKS
Hear from Ryan Mason, the Premier League’s youngest ever manager.
NO CHANCE TO SPEAK
Ryan Mason confirmed he didn’t have a chance to speak to Jose Mourinho after filling his job as Spurs boss.
The 29-year-old said it is one game at a time for Tottenham as they need to get back to winning games.
After 20 years attached to the club, Mason said it was an overwhelming sense of pride at being given the job to the end of the season.
NO WAY JOSE
Check out Jose Mourinho’s record at Tottenham.
MOUR PAY OFFS
Jose Mourinho may be unemployed but he certainly isn’t short of cash.
PARKHEAD THE BUS
Jose Mourinho has entered the race to become the next Celtic manager with the sacked Spurs boss ‘ready to go again’.
The Special One was relieved of his duties in North London on Monday morning.
But he insisted he does not need a break from football.
And with no permanent Celtic boss sorted for next season, could that mean a knee slide along the touchline north of the border before long?
MASON’S TEAM
Ryan Mason is the new interim Tottenham manager.
A statement by chairman Daniel Levy read: “We have great belief in this squad of talented players.
“We have a cup final and six Premier League games ahead of us and we shall now focus all our energies on achieving a strong finish to the season.”
Mason, who played 70 times for Spurs, will be joined by Chris Powell and Nigel Gibbs as interim assistant head coaches.
Michel Vorm has been appointed interim goalkeeping coach while club legend Ledley King continues as first team assistant.
Credit: Getty BEAT THE BOSS
Ryan Mason will take the reins at Spurs aged just 29 after a brutal head injury KO’d his career early.
Mason was forced to retire as a football player in 2018 at the age of just 26 due to risks associated with a head injury he had suffered the previous season.
He joined the coaching set-up at Tottenham in April 2018 before becoming the official academy coach of the Under-19 team in July 2019.
Then in August of last year the ex-England midfielder became head of youth development with the Lilywhites.
RY SMILE
Ryan Mason is confirmed as the Spurs interim boss until the end of the season.
SPUR OF THE MOMENT
Spurs are looking for a new boss after sacking Jose Mourinho SIX days before the Carabao Cup final.
Julian Nagelsmann and Brendan Rodgers have been installed as the joint favourites with out-of-work Eddie Howe third.
Tottenham next manager odds
Provided by Betfair
Julian Nagelsmann – 10/3
Brendan Rodgers – 10/3
Eddie Howe – 7/1
Scott Parker – 8/1
Nuno Espirito Santo – 8/1
Jurgen Klinsmann – 10/1
Rafa Benitez – 10/1
Massimiliano Allegri – 14/1
Ledley King – 14/1
Maurizio Sarri – 14/1
Antonio Conte – 16/1
Daniel Farke – 17/1
Jesse Marsch – 17/1
Graham Potter – 20/1
Steven Gerrard – 20/1
Roberto Martinez – 20/1
Ralph Hasenhuttl – 20/1
BACK THE NAG
Tottenham want Julian Nagelsmann to replace sacked Jose Mourinho — and the RB Leipzig boss may arrive before the season ends, DAVE KIDD exclusively reveals.
Mourinho was axed on Monday after 17 months in charge at Spurs, with player power understood to have played a part in his dismissal just six days before the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.
Former Charlton boss Chris Powell and ex-Spurs midfielder Ryan Mason will take caretaker charge at Wembley.
But the duo have not been told they will definitely remain in charge for the rest of the season.
Spurs hope Nagelsmann may arrive before the summer — although the 33-year-old is under contract for two years.
Bayern have also been linked with him after Hansi Flick announced his desire to quit this summer.
But Spurs believe they can lure Nagelsmann, who wants to manage in England.
WHERE NEXT FOR JOSE?
Jose Mourinho said he’s not planning a break after being axed by Spurs.
A LOOK AT JOSE’S SPURS RECORD
EU CANT PASS
Fans attempted to stop Liverpool team buses from entering Elland Road ahead of tonight’s match against Leeds.
The actions of the fans, who could be from either club, were a protest against Liverpool’s decision to join the European Super League.
Liverpool are the first member of the newly-found ESL to play a Premier League game since news of the competition broke yesterday.
The reigning champions have agreed to join the ESL along with Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham.
The Premier League’s so-called ‘Big Six’ have joined Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan in creating the league.
Presuming they go ahead, the plans will see a £4.6BILLION pot backed by JP Morgan split between the ‘dirty dozen’ – as many have described the clubs – and relegation scrapped.
Those protesting outside Elland Road may well have been by Leeds fans – or even just football fans in general – considering the overwhelmingly negative response to the breakaway league.
Marcelo Bielsa’s team have already shown their disgust at the plans – wearing T-shirts with the words ‘EARN IT’ emblazoned across the front as they warmed up for tonight’s game.
JAMES MILNER SPEAKS OUT
The ex-England international was asked about the proposed European Super League after Liverpool’s draw at Leeds.
Asked when he heard about the news of the ESL, Milner says: “Same as everyone else I think when it broke yesterday. That was the first we had heard of it.”
Milner asked on his opinion of the ESL: “I don’t know I think it’s the same as everyone, there’s a lot of questions. My personal opinion, I don’t like it and hopefully it doesn’t happen.”
The stand-in Liverpool skipper was asked what he doesn’t like about the ESL, he responds: “Probably the same reasons as everybody else who has been talking out over the last day.
“Obviously it’s been difficult for us, we’ve tried to prepare for the game but I can only imagine what’s been said about it and probably agree with most of it.”
Asked if he felt the negative response to Liverpool players was underserved, he says: “I think the players obviously have no say, so the welcome we got to the ground tonight was a bit unjust because obviously we’re here to play football and in no control of it.
“But for us we just need to get on the field and try and finish strong.”
MORE FROM BAMFORD
Asked about wearing the T-shirts in protest of the ESL, he said: “For me personally, from what I’ve seen on Twitter and the news, I haven’t seen one football fan that’s happy about the decision.
“I think football ultimately is for the fans. Without the fans every single club would be pretty much nothing.
“So I think it’s important we stand our ground and show that football is for the fans and keep it that way.”
PAT ON THE BACK
Patrick Bamford asked about the proposed European Super League.
He replied: “We’ve just seen pretty much what everyone else has seen on Twitter and stuff.
“It’s amazing just the things that they’re talking about. I can’t quite comprehend, it’s amazing the amount of uproar that comes into the game when somebody’s pockets are being hurt.
“It’s a shame it’s not like that with other things that go wrong at the minute, with racism and stuff like that, but it’s just how it is at the minute.”
BORIS JOHNSON ADDRESSES THE NATION
In a world exclusive, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has wrote a column in The Sun to address the proposed European Super League.
He writes: “Anyone who has watched me play football or played with me in the same match will know that I am far from an expert on the beautiful game.
“But you don’t need to be an expert to horrified at the prospect of the so-called “Super League” being cooked up by a small number of clubs.
“You only need a pulse to know that football is not a brand or a product. In fact it’s so much more than even a sport.
“Football clubs in every town and city and at every tier of the pyramid have a unique place at the heart of their communities, and are an unrivalled source of passionate local pride.
“And the joy of the game’s current structure, one that has kept people coming back year after year, generation after generation, is that even the most seemingly endless period of frustration is made bearable by the possibility, however remote, that one day you could see them rise up.
“After all if Leicester City can win the Premier League, if Nottingham Forest can be champions of Europe not once but twice then maybe, just maybe, your team can do the same.
“But that can only happen if the playing field is even vaguely level and the ability to progress is universal.”
READ THE PM’S FULL COMMENT SECTION HERE
BORIS JOHNSON ADDRESSES THE NATION
In a world exclusive, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has wrote a column in The Sun to address the proposed European Super League.
He writes: “Anyone who has watched me play football or played with me in the same match will know that I am far from an expert on the beautiful game.
“But you don’t need to be an expert to horrified at the prospect of the so-called “Super League” being cooked up by a small number of clubs.
“You only need a pulse to know that football is not a brand or a product. In fact it’s so much more than even a sport.
“Football clubs in every town and city and at every tier of the pyramid have a unique place at the heart of their communities, and are an unrivalled source of passionate local pride.
“And the joy of the game’s current structure, one that has kept people coming back year after year, generation after generation, is that even the most seemingly endless period of frustration is made bearable by the possibility, however remote, that one day you could see them rise up.
“After all if Leicester City can win the Premier League, if Nottingham Forest can be champions of Europe not once but twice then maybe, just maybe, your team can do the same.
“But that can only happen if the playing field is even vaguely level and the ability to progress is universal.”
READ THE PM’S FULL COMMENT SECTION HERE
Credit: PA ‘THANK YOU’
Harry Kane has broken the silence regarding Jose Mourinho’s dismissal by Tottenham as he publicly thanked the Portuguese gaffer.
The Special One was sacked by Spurs on Monday after 17 months in charge and just six days before the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.
Mourinho had been under huge pressure in North London after they crashed out of the Europa League at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb in March.
He leaves with Spurs sitting seventh in the Premier League following Friday’s 2-2 draw against Everton, with the club winning just one out of their last five top-flight games.
Spurs issued a short statement addressing his axing earlier this morning where chairman Daniel Levy thanked him for his services.
And England international Kane was the first Tottenham player to respond to the news as he spoke of his honour at working with him.
BUSSINESS MOVES
Here is a rundown of the Spurs hierarchy that sacked Jose Mourinho while backing the move into a proposed European Super League.
Owner(s): Joe Lewis
Nationality: British
Net worth: £3.5bn
Club value: £1.66bn
Lewis took over from Lord Alan Sugar in 2001 and has been in charge ever since, alongside chairman Daniel Levy.
Tottenham are yet to break their now-13-year trophy drought, with their last piece of silverware coming in 2008 when they won the League Cup.
Spurs fans are often left frustrated by the club’s inability to challenge their rivals financially in the transfer market.
However, in recent season, the club have proven they’re willing to spend big when the right opportunity arises.
The board’s next job will be to find anew manager after Jose Mourinho was sacked on Monday.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
