Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Under pressure Mourinho up for Spurs challenge

Written by 
Published in Soccer
Tuesday, 23 February 2021 07:38

Jose Mourinho has vowed he "will be in Tottenham's history for the good reasons" after claiming he is "more motivated than ever" to halt the club's slide amid growing speculation over his future.

- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)

ESPN reported on Friday that chairman Daniel Levy wants to wait until the end of the season before deciding whether the 58-year-old should continue as head coach, but Mourinho must first address a run of five defeats from six Premier League games that leaves their top four hopes hanging by a thread.

Spurs are strong favourites to progress in the Europa League as they lead Wolfsberger 4-1 heading into tomorrow's last-32, second-leg tie in north London and have an EFL Cup Final to come against Manchester City in April.

However, Spurs' dreadful League form has ramped up the pressure on Mourinho, who insists he is better equipped to handle the situation than he was when arriving in England for the first time to take charge of Chelsea in 2004.

"Thank God I am not the manager I was," he said. "Thank God, because if there is no evolution in us... I also want to believe you think you are a better journalist than you were 10 years ago or so.

"So, thank God. But I agree with you, probably I would not be as calm and confident and in control of my emotions because during my career I had sometimes problems not in relation to results.

"As you know, I didn't have many bad runs of results. But day-by-day problems that happen many times in clubs with all of us, I reacted previously in a much more emotional way. And instead of helping myself and the ones around me, I was even created kind of conflict situations that I had previously. To give you a quick example: I left Chelsea as a champion. I was champion and I left Chelsea.

"Maybe your age, your experience as a person and a journalist makes you realise that people with more experience, we are better equipped to cope with negative moments. I am calm. I am in control of my emotions. I cannot switch on and switch off I'm happy.

"My nature does not change. I lose a game, of course I am not happy but maturity helps. And I feel very confident. I believe we are going to improve and I believe that I will be in Tottenham's history for the good reasons and not for the bad reasons."

Sources have told ESPN that some players have become frustrated with the team's conservative style, while reports elsewhere have hinted at a strained relationship with several individuals including Dele Alli and Gareth Bale.

But Mourinho insisted he retains the full backing of those around him.

"In the negativity of it, it is a positive thing that you say I am not used to it and my career has been the opposite of this," he said. "That's a great thing.

"But I want to know which coach in the end of his career can say everything was blue sky, never a little bit grey or cloudy or even dark. Unless he is a coach that was always in dominant clubs where the clubs were always the top clubs in countries and then it is more difficult to have difficult moments. But I think it just shows how beautiful my career has been.

"Does this make me happy? No. Does this make me depressed? Not at all. I think it is a challenge. I always feel that work for the clubs, for the players, for the supporters. I always feel I have to give them so much and the fact that I'm giving them hard work but not the results is something that of course hurts me and is a great challenge for me.

"I believe that I can give it. I gave it everywhere I've been and I want to do it. I'm more motivated than ever and I believe that, and this is what I feel, I never felt what normally coaches they feel when the results are bad.

"Normally when the results are bad, the coach is a lonely man. In this club, in this building, I never felt that. Never. I always felt, not just respected of course, but I always felt supported. I always felt that everybody is together in the same boat.

"By one side nobody is happy, but by another side nobody is depressed. I feel positive. Maybe it can look a bit weird for you losing so many matches and you are positive but yes I am positive.

"I cannot say I'm happy but I would say I'm not unhappy. I wake up in the morning, I want to come back to work. I arrive in the building, I feel the motivation in everyone. I love to train. People are loving training and everybody is working as hard as is possible with so many matches. And we are positive.

"We want to play tomorrow, we want to play Sunday [against Burnley], we want to try to come back as soon as possible to good results and we are positive."

Read 306 times

Soccer

Man City face 'tough' season after late collapse

Man City face 'tough' season after late collapse

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPep Guardiola said Manchester City are in for a "tough" season afte...

Man City need more than Haaland as season sits on knife's edge

Man City need more than Haaland as season sits on knife's edge

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMANCHESTER, England -- For 75 minutes on Tuesday night, Manchester...

10-man PSG drop to 26th in narrow loss to Bayern

10-man PSG drop to 26th in narrow loss to Bayern

Bayern Munich battled past 10-man Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the Champions League thanks to Kim Min-...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Giannis out vs. Heat due to pregame knee issue

Giannis out vs. Heat due to pregame knee issue

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMIAMI -- Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for Tues...

Sources: Kings closing in on deal for Crowder

Sources: Kings closing in on deal for Crowder

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFree-agent forward Jae Crowder is close to a deal with the Sacramen...

Baseball

Dodgers split $46M from record MLB playoff pool

Dodgers split $46M from record MLB playoff pool

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- A full postseason share for the World Series champion L...

Starter or reliever? Stay with the Phillies or go elsewhere? All-Star Jeff Hoffman opens up on free agency

Starter or reliever? Stay with the Phillies or go elsewhere? All-Star Jeff Hoffman opens up on free agency

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsJeff Hoffman is one of the most sought-after relievers in this offs...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated