Football never ceases to amaze.
It was bad enough for Tottenham fans to learn they’d be losing their beloved manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Spurs fans will struggle to adjust in such a short space of time
But before they’d even managed to process the shock news, imagine waking up to a new head coach in none other than Jose Mourinho.
Jose Mourinho, Spurs manager.
It doesn’t even sound right.
Jose Mourinho, Chelsea legend… that’s better.
No matter what he does for Tottenham, he will always be Chelsea’s man.
The timing seems odd too.
The end of an international break – and ahead of a crunch tie with West Ham rather than after it – but there’s no time to accept or reflect.
It’s time to move on.
Tottenham fans were given all of a few hours to thank their man, heartfelt thanks poured out on social media.
Pochettino’s legacy at Tottenham Hotspur is clear.
Fighting back tears, the Argentine thanked his family in an emotional interview after he’d guided his team to a Champions League final.
Even if the man himself is not immortalised at the new White Hart Lane, memories of Lucas Moura’s hat-trick and Pochettino’s tears at the final whistle will be.
Mourinho’s first ten games at Spurs
Nov 23 – West Ham (A)
Nov 26 – Olympiakos (H)
Nov 30 – Bournemouth (H)
Dec 4 – Man Utd (A)
Dec 7 – Burnley (H)
Dec 11 – Bayern Munich (A)
Dec 15 – Wolves (A)
Dec 22 – Chelsea (H)
Dec 26 – Brighton (H)
Dec 28 – Norwich (A)
It’s not all bad for the man affectionately known as Poch though.
A Christmas to spend with his family and his stock sky high even though he leaves Spurs in the bottom half of the table.
Particularly when you consider it wasn’t that long ago he suggested he’d taken Tottenham as far as they can go.
I won’t be surprised if I see him at a top Champions league side sooner rather than later.
As for Mourinho, where do you even begin?
I bet Amazon are rubbing their hands together: ‘All or Nothing’ right now, they are getting it all, pure box office.
Dates for your diary December 4 at Old Trafford and December 22, it’s Master vs apprentice as Chelsea come to the new White Hart Lane with the Special One in the dugout.
There’s no denying Mourinho’s a winner.
What he’s won over the years is plain for all to see, but Spurs fans have been used to Mr. Charisma and have just three days to adjust.
The fact is, the man in the away dugout at London Stadium for the must win game against fierce rivals West Ham is an icon for their equally bitter foes in West London and that’ll be a tough pill to swallow.
I think it’s going to take a while to get used to that.
I can’t help but wonder how Mourinho will cope with the financial restraints put on him.
It was no secret Pochettino was growing frustrated at the lack of investment and ambition and Mourinho will surely be in the same boat?
It was a smart move in one respect. When I learned of Pochettino’s departure, I wondered who might follow?
But in Mourinho they have a manager who appears to have the respect of players for what he’s won and achieved.
That will buy Spurs a little time before they have to make do with life without their big names.
But football is fickle, it’s about winning, and no doubt we’ll see the inevitable ‘new manager bounce’ and with Mourinho’s hunger for football sky high, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets this Spurs side back into the top four.
It looks like a huge task right now, but Mourinho loves a challenge.
Tottenham appoint Jose Mourinho as new manager less than 24 hours after sacking Mauricio Pochettino
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
