Mourinho Says Tottenham Back has Talent and Right Mentality

In the pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool, José Mourinho was asked the challenges of training a young center back. In typical Mourinho fashion, the response made light of the idea of challenges and got straight to the point. According to José Mourinho the most important thing for a center back is “talent and mentality” and Tottenham Hotspur defender Joe Rodon has a bit of both.

Two Roads to Top Backs

Essentially at center back and really any position on the pitch teams have two options to get the right pieces for their puzzle, develop the player or purchase the player. Mourinho noted how for “for some clubs its all money”, meaning they can plug holes with purchases. For those clubs Mourinho noted they “have the potential to solve their defensive problems with money” however “in other clubs people to in a different direction”.

Clearly Spurs are going in this ‘different direction’ with the purchase of Joe Rodon this past summer who played his first ever game in the top flight this season. In a tune similar to one we heard many times from Mauricio Pochettino, it is not that one team is doing it right or wrong, it is that Tottenham does it different than the rest of the big six.

Joe Rodon the Future of the Tottenham Defense

Having emphasized that a players “talent and mentality” are what is most important, Mourinho turned his attention to Rodon who was referenced in the original question. “Joe has a lot to learn of course but at the same time he has a lot of potential and a great desire” was how José started. In other words, Rodon has the right mentality – the great desire – and has the talent, i.e. potential to be good.

“We are happy with Joe and we believe he can only get better”

-José Mourinho on Joe Rodon’s development

Mourinho said that  despite his limited opportunities from not being “in the Europa League list”, Rodon has gotten some minutes and experience. Continuing that “the couple of times where we have played him the answer is positive, so we are happy with Joe and we believe he can only get better”.

This is exactly what everyone wants to hear and simply confirms what we are seeing from the outside looking in, that Joe Rodon has the ability and attitude to be really special in this team. With injuries to Ben Davies and who knows who else – Mourinho would not say – likely more opportunities for Rodon are coming.

Ultimately, a decision is coming whether or not Rodon gets in the Europa League list for the knock out stages, by the sounds of things he may be on his way. We at HotspurHQ certainly hope room is found for our back of the future and we have him in our Projected XI for Liverpool on Thursday.