How Tottenham’s managers of the last decade compare

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - MAY 08: Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino celebrates at full-time following the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Ajax and Tottenham Hotspur at the Johan Cruyff Arena on May 08, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - MAY 08: Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino celebrates at full-time following the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Ajax and Tottenham Hotspur at the Johan Cruyff Arena on May 08, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images) /
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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – APRIL 16: Jose Mourinho, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur reacts prior to the Premier League match between Everton and Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on April 16, 2021 in Liverpool, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – APRIL 16: Jose Mourinho, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur reacts prior to the Premier League match between Everton and Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on April 16, 2021 in Liverpool, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /

4. Jose Mourinho — 2019 – 2021

The Special One moved into Mauricio Pochettino’s former office with 24 hours of the Argentine’s dismissal. Keen to get cracking on his new appointment, Jose was appointed to bring a trophy to the north London club for the first time in 13 season.

His rein started extremely well, like most of his tenures do. He got most players to buy in to his dogmatic system, one that demands unerring discipline and organization. Those who weren’t onboard with his approach quickly found themselves on the outside looking in. But as long as the results were trending in the right direction, which they were, alienating a few players was tolerated, mere collateral damage from his my-way-or-the-highway motif.

Jose took a reeling Tottenham side, who were in 14th place at the time of Pochettino’s dismissal, to an eventual sixth place finish. The initial trajectory after his exquisite start had Tottenham pushing for a Champions League spot. Unfortunately injuries started to mount and Jose’s early inspirational effect on the squad began deteriorating.

After digging Tottenham out of a deep early season hole, Tottenham’s sixth place finish with Jose at the helm is still seen as a veritable achievement. Jose endured a rash of injuries that would paralyze any team.

The unprecedented season was halted due to a surging Covid-19, which ironically, in football terms, benefitted Spurs. It allowed the club’s top players — including Harry Kane and Son Heung-min — to recover from their respective ailments in time to make a charge for qualification into the Europa League. Prior to the extended break in play, Tottenham were ousted convincingly by Leipzig in the Champions League Round of 16.

A near immaculate start — highlighted by thrashing Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford — to the current campaign provided Spurs fans with real hope. But the wheels flew off violently, as they so often do during Mourinho’s tenure at a club. He lost the locker room and subsequently, just six days shy of the Carabao Cup Final, got axed ruthlessly by Daniel Levy.

Jose ran the touchline for 86 matches, winning 44. That’s a 51 percent winning rate.

Overall Grade — C