AT least Dele Alli admired the honesty.
In Jose Mourinho’s first conversation with his talented midfielder, he asked whether he was “working with Dele, or Dele’s brother”.
Jose Mourinho plays close attention to Dele Alli as he takes trainingCredit: AP:Associated Press
Mourinho and Harry Kane enjoy a giggle during drillsCredit: EPA
At the London Stadium on Saturday, the Special One got the answer.
Dele, speaking ahead of their Champions League group game with Olympiakos, said: “To have it honestly said to my face was nice – because a lot of people would prefer to say it behind my back.
“It was actually the first thing he said to me. It was funny, I thought, I laughed.
“But we’ve had a few conversations now. That was one of them. There have been a few more as well.
“I’m hoping I can show him who I am.”
The criticism has hurt Dele, with plenty of ex-pros piling in to him after a difficult start to the season.
He was not alone.
Before Daniel Levy opted to make the change last week, Mauricio Pochettino tried to woo these boys and get them back on side.
Nothing seemed to work.
Life moves on very quickly for footballers at this level, but the guilt has kicked in over Pochettino’s dismissal.
Jose Mourinho will take charge of Spurs for the first time at Tottenham StadiumCredit: PA:Press Association
Dele, 23, added: “Poch has helped me through a lot – I’ve seen him more than I see my own family in the last five years, so it was very tough.
“He is someone I’m going to stay in contact with. It will be different because he’s not the manager but he’s an amazing person and helped me so much throughout my career – not just in football but in life as well.
“When it first happened you just blame yourself – you are sad and don’t look at the big picture. We have had some amazing journeys together.
“We have achieved a lot in terms of where we have come from. We are thankful to them, you can’t help but feel you are a bit to blame. I gave 110 per cent and sometimes it does not work out. The chairman made his decision.
“Now as players we have a new manager. We owe the club a lot and we have to start winning games again.”
They got off to a flyer on Saturday at West Ham, but they are back in front of their own fans this evening.
Spurs fans were singing his name at the London Stadium after the Special One opened up with a 3-2 win.
White Hart Lane will stand to their feet for him this evening, but he is already joking about his unbeaten record at their new stadium.
Dele Alli only had positive words to say about former manager Mauricio PochettinoCredit: Reuters
He coached an Inter Legends team to a 5-4 win over ex-Spurs stars in March at one of the test events before the stadium got the go ahead to open.
Mourinho said: “I have a good record in that stadium: one match, one victory with Inter Legends, where we had so much fun.
“Seriously, I am not nervous, I am never nervous, I always feel just a little desire that the match should be now.
“It was good to start with a win in the last match, but if you can start at home with a win that is also important.
“In the first match of my career as a head coach I lost and I couldn’t imagine in that moment my career would bring as much success, the two seasons where I won the treble, with Porto and Inter, I started with a draw, so two bad results and we won everything.
“Our stadium is the best stadium, probably other stadiums will have 10,000 more spectators, but this is the best stadium in the world.
“I don’t want to say the best fans in the world because people will immediately say that ‘Oh, he is saying that because he wants the Tottenham fans to love him immediately’, so I am not going to say that.
“But we have very strong fans, with great mentality, great support, they go to football matches and they try to enjoy like they did against West Ham.
“We are going to try and have a good result and qualify.
“Part of our vision for the club, part of the club culture, that is what we always try to do.
“We try to win, we try to play well, try to play good football, attacking like we did the other day, so many chances to score. That is what we are going to do.
“Let’s see if Olympiakos are good guys and let us do that.”
“To win the Champions League would not be miracle, but it is very difficult.
“There are clubs with different potential, experience and know-how.
“But with these boys, I will never be afraid of any Champions League match that comes into our faces.”
After his chat with Dele, you just know the Special One is not afraid to tell them that.
Jose Mourinho says he is not thinking of Champions League glory yet
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
