How Tottenham’s managers of the last decade compare
By Gary Pearson
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.