With a sensational ability to source affordable talent and a rare knack for complementing Jose Mourinho, Luis Campos is precisely what Tottenham needs to cure their ailments.
Now is the time to do whatever it takes to lure Campos to Tottenham. Whether by inveigling the ingenious mastermind or by offering something no other team can, Daniel Levy must pull the strings to make Campos Tottenham’s new director of football.
Campos was one of Mourinho’s assistants at Real Madrid in 2012. Of course their relationship goes way farther back, the advent of which started blossoming in Portugal during the early 2000s. It is Campos’ unassuming, humble persona that should, as much as his impressive CV, appeal to Tottenham.
He perfectly complements his more brash, narcissistic and outspoken compatriot. And unlike Mourinho, Campos’ main strength is his ability to find affordable, budding diamonds in the rough. Many people are talking about a complete rebuild at Hotspur Way, while others suggest Tottenham need but a few reinforcements to once again challenge at the apex of English football.
Either way, Campos is the ideal persona to build a resurgence around.
I won’t delve into Campos’ impressive resume, nor will I regale you with how he ascended to the elite, most venerated ranks of football management. Bleacher Report wrote an informative, captivating piece about Campos less than a year ago that’s worth checking out if want to learn more details about the Portuguese’s intriguing career.
Suffice to say, he brought both Monaco and Lille to prominence on a shoestring budget by hand picking burgeoning talent. Fabinho, Bernardo Silva, Thomas Lemar, Anthony Martial and Nicolas Pepe have Campos to thank for their respective rises to superstardom.
Monaco reached the semifinal of the Champions League in 2017, one of Campos’ most celebrated achievements. While Mourinho once had a knack for sourcing budding talent, that acuity has since waned, diminishing considerably over the years.
Mourinho is now more well-known for spending frivolously and astronomically on assets who eventually underperform under his stewardship.
The exact opposite is true of Campos, who finds fledgling gems that actually fulfil their lofty potential. And even more compelling, Campos still hasn’t reached the apex of his rise in world football. Still in his prime — even though he’s 55 years old — Campos is trending in the exact opposite direction of Mourinho.
But Mourinho can be of great use in this circumstance. He can use nepotism, his unbreakable bond with Campos, to convince him of becoming Tottenham’s new director of football.
It might even help rejuvenate Mourinho, revitalizing the 57 year old’s sputtering career. A little yin and yang is exactly the anecdote Tottenham need to turn a corner and discover a new path. And I’m sure Daniel Levy wouldn’t contest Campos’ transfer policy, which focusses on spending less and getting more.