Tottenham sacking Mauricio Pochettino and hiring Jose Mourinho is ‘ludicrous’, according to football journalist Daniel Harris.
Harris was speaking on Wednesday’s OTB AM and couldn’t wrap his head around why Spurs have decided to bring in Mourinho as their new coach.
“Someone needs some medical attention. I’m absolutely staggered that anyone thought this behaviour would be a good idea.
“I can understand in some ways why they’ve got rid of Pochettino. In other ways, I think it’s the most ludicrous thing anyone’s ever done.
“If things are too far gone with Pochettino and they feel that either there’s a problem with the players or a problem with the board - I guess those two things are permanent.
“Getting rid of Pocehttino, who has done such a great job at Spurs, is ridiculous. The reason why they are where they are and the standards have gone up is because of him.
“For them to basically not back him financially until last summer, him to do brilliantly and then fire him at the first sign of on-pitch trouble doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Harris said.
Harris felt that Mourinho is the ‘opposite of what Tottenham need’ and that they have gotten rid of their greatest asset by firing Pochettino.
“To replace him with yesterday’s man Mourinho, nothing we’ve seen from Mourinho in his last two jobs suggested that he’s ever going to learn and he’s ever going to change.
“Nothing has suggested that the way he manages players is going to be modified according to the way that things have changed.
“The other thing that Mourinho always needs is money. Levy has very particularly not given Pochettino money.
“So if he gives it to Mourinho then the question would be why didn’t he give it to Pochettino? If he doesn’t he’s just setting himself up for more aggravation,” Harris said.
'Mourinho will leave a significant mess'
The journalist felt that Tottenham’s main immediate problem could be holding onto their best players as it is rumoured they have only stayed at the club because of the Argentine manager.
“I think one of the problems they might find - and I’ve been previously told that the players between them - who know that they could be earning more money and playing for better clubs - had agreed that they would all stay as long as Pochettino stayed.
“[Harry] Kane, in particular, is good mates with Pochettino. I’m not certain that Spurs will be able to convince those players to stay on Spurs’ wages now that Pochettino has gone,” Harris commented.
While he doesn't expect Mourinho will be an instant failure, Harris couldn’t see anything but another unhappy ending with Mourinho in charge.
“Nothing in Mourinho’s history as a manager suggests that he will build something. It suggests that he’ll turn up for a bit, there’ll be some success and then he’ll leave usually a significant mess.
“That is not the way that modern football is going and not what Spurs need. Spurs need a focused, happy Pochettino.
“A sensible way out of this situation would have been for Daniel Levy to appreciate the main man was not him but Pochettino.”
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