[ad_1]
Tottenham ‘cannot possibly keep’ Jose Mourinho as their manager if he fails to guide the club to silverware this season.
That’s according to Darren Bent, who says Julian Nagelsmann would be better suited to the role amid reports linking the club with an interest in the RB Leipzig boss.
Mourinho’s future at White Hart Lane beyond the season is at the centre of gossip this week following the club’s London derby defeat to West Ham and continued slide down the Premier League table.
Top of the league and tipped for a title push in December, Tottenham are now down in ninth and risk entering March in the bottom half if their miserable run goes on, after five defeats in their last six league games.
And Mourinho is bearing the brunt of criticism for his team’s remarkable decline.
Like many, Bent insists the ‘Special One’ was specifically brought in by Tottenham chiefs to end the club’s long wait for a trophy, after several near-misses under Mauricio Pochettino.
So the ex-striker says Mourinho would make his own position untenable if he fails to do what he was appointed to do.
“I think Jose Mourinho is under a lot of pressure, because quite clearly Spurs fans are not happy with what they’re seeing,” Bent said on Tuesday’s talkSPORT Breakfast.
“At one stage they were not happy with the football they were seeing but they were tolerating it because Spurs were at the top of the table, things were going well and it seemed to be working.
“Now all of a sudden it seems to have turned and I think he’s under massive pressure.
“If he goes this season without winning a trophy… if Tottenham finish ninth or tenth and don’t win a trophy, then what was the point in bringing him in the first place?
“I know he’s in one final already against Manchester City, but with the way City are playing you’d expect them to win that.
“Pochettino was finishing in the top four, got Tottenham to a Champions League final and they sacked him because they felt he wasn’t the right guy to get them over the line to win a trophy.
“But if you bring in a serial winner, and that’s what Jose Mourinho is, if they don’t qualify for the Champions League, don’t win the Europa League or any other trophies, I don’t think they can possibly keep him!”
Nagelsmann is said to be Spurs’ No.1 target should they decide to axe Mourinho this season.
The 33-year-old has been dubbed a ‘mini-Mourinho’ but unlike the Portuguese he has made a name for himself with his attractive attacking style of play rather than his record of winning trophies.
Bent believes Nagelsmann would be a positive appointment for his old club, although he admits the squad still needs investment to improve their weak back-line.
Asked if Nagelsmann would improve this current Tottenham team, he added: “Potentially.
“We know Jose Mourinho is defensive-minded, but maybe if a new guy came in and went on the front foot a little more, that’s the only thing that could maybe change.
“But I still think they need to add one or two more additions defensively to make them a lot stronger and a better unit, because defensively right now they’re not good enough.”
[ad_2]
Source link
Comments are closed.