Football news - Is Jose Mourinho the man to guide Spurs to glory?

Each week we’ll analyse the performance of a player or manager during the 2019/20 season, before throwing it over to you, the audience, to decide whether you would ‘stick’ with them or ‘twist’ in favour of an alternative and if so, who and why? Head to our Twitter (@Eurosport_UK) and leave your comments as we put Mr Mourinho under the spotlight.

Days ago, Mourinho was helping to deliver food parcels to the elderly and vulnerable in North London during the UK’s lockdown period. At the opposite end of the spectrum, leading a fitness session in a local park with individuals from Tottenham’s squad was exactly the kind of unwanted attention the club would be looking to avoid. Throughout his career, Mourinho has never been far from the centre of football’s conversation. A serial winner lapping up the plaudits in one breath; the poster boy for scrutiny in another. An error of judgement from one of the most highly regarded figures in the game undoubtedly raises questions. First, if players are role models then what does that make managers? Also, what message do actions like these send to the British public and those who look up to him?

Mourinho has a tough gig on his hands and will recognise the magnitude of the rebuild he is tasked with orchestrating in North London; time and money are two of the biggest tools he will require. He was replacing the treasure that is Mauricio Pochettino, who had barely moved out before Mourinho was settling in. Meanwhile, arrows of discontent were flying in the direction of the club’s ownership and the team were closer to the relegation zone than the top four. The so-called ‘new manager bounce’ looked to have taken effect with Spurs climbing as high as fifth place leaving some to believe the wheels were back in motion. However, a rough patch of form has seen them slip to eighth while exiting the Champions League and FA Cup means they will have to rely on the league for a last-ditch surge for a European place next season, whenever that may happen.

Many of those who have played under Mourinho have talked about man-management being a huge part of his coaching style. There are numerous examples where he has bought the best out of players, but equally there are times where these methods have backfired. On the positive side, Dele Alli was a shadow of his former self towards the back end of last year. However, he succeeded in rekindling his magic touch evidenced by an impressive performance at West Ham in Mourinho’s first match. On the flip side, public criticism of players to the media in previous roles has seen them go the other way. The theory is sound, by calling a player out you get a positive reaction and it’s lauded as masterstroke. However, it’s often riskier in practice and has sometimes spelt disaster in Mourinho’s past positions.

It’s a tongue-in-cheek jibe that ‘parking the bus’ is one of Mourinho’s preferred defensive tactics. With Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola having galvanised their respective teams with a fresh brand of expansive, eye-catching football – is Mourinho guilty of lagging behind and not moving with the times? Analysis of their 2-1 defeat away to Chelsea in February pin-pointed a lacklustre press and deep defensive lines with little attacking potency until the introduction of Erik Lamela in the second half. This raises the question about whether it’s best to adapt the players to your preferred formation or mould them into a shape which best suits their strengths. The latter seems more logical but depends on the willingness of the coach to be versatile - is Mourinho rather too set in his ways?

Sweep the controversial elements aside and Spurs have one of the best managers in the game. His track record and glowing CV speak for itself – he isn’t one of the bottle that’s for sure. His experiences have changed him to an extent, whether that be issues specific to clubs he has managed or running feuds with the British media. Given time and resources, Mourinho can build a brighter future for Spurs. They have a man who is addicted to success – a flame that has flickered but never truly gone out – and a tactician with ways and means of achieving this in his own unique fashion. Mourinho’s career has shown that while not all his reigns have ended amicably, those he has served will all have something special to recall about him. In one way, shape or form he is the gift that keeps on giving.

Whether you’re a Jose fan or not, now it’s your turn to get involved. Head to our Twitter page and give us your thoughts on the ultimate question. Would you ‘stick’ with Mourinho at the helm or would you ‘twist’ if favour of an alternative and if so, who would you choose and why?