Easily the most high-profile appointment in Tottenham history, Jose Mourinho was seen as a high-risk appointment. The arrival of a manager totally in contrast to previous manager Mauricio Pochettino was seen as a way of firing up the squad and turning them into trophy winners. So far, though, Mourinho has yet to win a pot with Spurs – and the shocking exit from the UEFA Europa League ensures another trophy is off the list.
Given their unlikely qualification for the UEFA Champions League, the Europa League offered a chance to land at the top table of competition again, with all of the money and prestige on offer.
Instead, turning a 2-0 win in the first leg into a 3-0 loss in extra time in Portugal was seen as a game-changing moment in the Mourinho era. Indeed, it was suggested after the game that the manager could be out of the door as soon as the summer. Given the severity of their exit, it is believed that Spurs are not willing to consider keeping the coach any longer than the summer thanks to a second season out of the top four and another trophyless year.
What did Mourinho say after the exit?
Given the shocking nature of how Spurs played, fans were keen to hear from the coach why such a shocking performance happened and was allowed. Indeed, after the game, speaking to BT Sport in a post-match interview, a shellshocked Mourinho said: “They [Dinamo Zagreb] left sweat, energy, blood. In the end they left even tears of happiness,
“They were very humble and committed. I have to praise them. On the other side, my team – I repeat, my team – didn’t look like it was playing an important match. If for any one of them it is not important, for me it is.
“I am disappointed for a difference of attitude of one team to another. I feel sorry that my team is the team that didn’t bring to the game not just the basics of football but the basics of life, which is to respect our jobs and to give everything. I can only apologise to the Tottenham supporters. I hope they feel the same way I feel. Today is live or die – and in this moment, we die.”
Despite late saves from Dominik Livakovic, Spurs struggled to really get into the game and only started to push for a goal when they went behind late in extra-time. Mourinho accused his players of lacking the same desire as he does, saying: “For the respect I have for my career and my job, every match is important. For every Tottenham fan at home, every match matters. Another attitude is needed. What I feel is much more than sadness.
“I just left the Dinamo dressing room where I went to praise the guys and I feel sorry it is not my team who won the game based on attitude and compromise. I feel more than sad. Football is not just about players who think they have more quality than others. The basis of football is attitude. They beat us on that.”
Given the way that Mourinho was left previous jobs, some expect this could be the beginning of the end. Usually, such personal criticism of players is left until the Portuguese knows he has no more bridges left to burn.
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