Losing Tanguy Ndombele would be a colossal mistake for Tottenham
By Gary Pearson
Top clubs are lurking like a shoal of sharks to see what becomes of Tanguy Ndombele, as Jose Mourinho casts further doubt on the Frenchman’s future at Tottenham.
It’s clear Mourinho has already given up on Ndombele. An archetypal premature decision, Mourinho hasn’t provided the support and nurturing Ndombele needs.
Players develop and adapt to the Premier League at different speeds. Spurs paid a club record £55 million for the Frenchman’s services less than a year ago. He needs more time, which he probably won’t get as long as Mourinho is in charge.
While some players react well to public shaming, it’s overtly obvious that Ndombele does not fall into that category. Mourinho has mismanaged Ndombele to a catastrophic degree, making him the poster boy for scapegoat of the year.
Unfortunately for the club, Ndombele has received the message loud and clear, with the 23-year-old already preparing for life after Tottenham. Unsurprisingly there’s no shortage of suitors with Manchester United, PSG, among others waiting impatiently to pounce on Spurs’ mistake.
It’s hard to conceive of a revered club successfully alienating in less than a year a promising 23-year-old with immeasurable talent after spending £55 million.
The blame falls squarely on Mourinho for the astounding level of impulsiveness he’s shown during this ordeal. Managers are paid astronomical salaries to make tough decisions, some of which are bound to be wrong.
But decisions of this importance and magnitude should be based on a litany of reasons, irrefutable evidence. Ndombele needs more time to show the potential he’s been touted for, the skill set that cost Spurs a fortune.
Hopefully it’s not too late to convince Ndombele to stay for another season. However, the prospect of that happening weighs heavily on Mourinho’s ability to give Ndombele a second chance, to show patience, humility and understanding.
From a manager who indiscriminately applies Draconian measures, based on a gaggle of historical examples to draw from, it’s unlikely Mourinho will change his tune where Ndombele is concerned.
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And that would spell utter disaster for Spurs. It would be like inviting Nbombele to an epic party and telling him to leave before he’s had his first drink.