Nicholas: "Mourinho is a serial winner but he might not be any more - the game is adapting."
Friday 22 November 2019 08:18, UK
Charlie Nicholas says Jose Mourinho at Tottenham is a "short-term fix" and praised Mauricio Pochettino for the job he did at the club.
There were less than 12 hours between Pochettino's departure on Tuesday evening and Mourinho's appointment early on Wednesday morning, taking many people by surprise.
There has also been a mixed response to the arrival, and Soccer Saturday pundit Nicholas believes it is not a long-term solution for Tottenham.
He told Sky Sports: "I am amazed, to be honest. The background of it suggests that they were speaking to Jose Mourinho behind the scenes.
"Mourinho is a serial winner but he might not be any more - the game is adapting. I am surprised on the timing of it and how quickly it has happened.
"I don't know if Mourinho and Daniel Levy is a partnership which will get the job done. He likes to spend, and if the players aren't doing what is asked of them then the relationship can come quite strained. Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen have six weeks before they could strike a deal to get out of Tottenham and he may get some money in for them in January but he will want to adapt it to his style.
"The only reason I can see the push for Mourinho is his winning mentality, which will get some sort of trophy over the line. Mourinho is a short-term fix - he doesn't do more than three seasons.
"I am confused about the situation and how quickly and deliberate it has been with the sacking. This will eat into their budget also so it is a dramatic event - it did take me by surprise."
Pochettino led Spurs to top-four finishes in four of his five seasons in charge, as well as their first Champions League final in the 2018/19 campaign, and it is this form that garnered praise from Nicholas.
"A month or six weeks ago, I said on Soccer Saturday that it sounded to me as though Mauricio Pochettino was talking his way out of Tottenham. The chairman took them for dinner, Pochettino wasn't getting money, yet this may have been to reassure him that the club was going in the right direction. The relationship sounded as though it was repaired but he said he wanted to bring in fresh bodies.
"Pochettino wasn't happy with the running down of contracts from Vertonghen, Alderweireld and Eriksen. Danny Rose will be ready to say something soon now Pochettino has gone. Regarding the other ones, Poch said he tried to get contracts but he doesn't control this.
"Later, I thought it settled down a bit and thought they would just get on with it until the time comes, potentially waiting for Manchester United or Real Madrid to knock on the door. That's how I saw it.
"Even if he fell out with Daniel Levy, is this why they have made the move for Mourinho? Or because he has not won anything? No. Has he been a success? Absolutely.
"Arsenal were never really overly concerned with Tottenham, but on a couple occasions, they were not far off winning the title, they reached the Champions League final, which is far more threatening than the other team in north London. With the pedigree he head, Pochettino has done fantastic."
