Jose Mourinho is the new Tottenham Hotspur manager and everyone is happy about it, but there’s a statement he made about four years ago on his new club, that will linger on his mind forever.
In 2015, the Portuguese insisted he would not manage Tottenham Hotspur at all costs to an extent he rejected Daniel Levy’s offer.
Ahead of Chelsea’s League Cup final with Spurs at Wembley in March 2015, Mourinho said he had been approached by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to take over at White Hart Lane in September 2007.
That was shortly after he ended his first spell in charge of Chelsea ‘by mutual consent’ after falling out with owner Roman Abramovich and the Stamford Bridge board.
But Mourinho said in 2015 that he could not manage Tottenham because his emotional attachment to Chelsea was so strong.
He had also reached an agreement with Chelsea that he would not manage another English club for two years.
Asked if he was approached in 2007 by Spurs, he said; “Yes. I couldn’t go. I couldn’t train in England for two years.”
According to Mourinho, Tottenham tried to offer Chelsea compensation to break the clause preventing him from England working in England but he also said; “I would not take the job because I love Chelsea supporters too much.”
Now, despite managing Chelsea for a second spell between 2013 and 2015, Mourinho appears to have changed his tune and will begin working at their rivals in north London.
Indeed, he will take charge of Spurs against Chelsea in a Premier League showdown three days before Christmas.