What might Jose Mourinho really have meant when he spoke on Spurs TV?
As Jose Mourinho prepares for his first press conference as Spurs manager, here’s what he said to the club’s in-house TV outfit on Wednesday and what he really might have been thinking.
“I couldn’t be happier” - A bigger salary and promise of a huge January transfer war-chest would have made my smile a little wider.
"What can I promise? Passion” - Passion comes in many guises. I’m talking about the uplifting, motivating and inspirational good. But I accept there is the testosterone fuelled, I’m not-getting-my-own-way bad.
“I’m happy in relation to the squad I’m going to have.” - Well, I’ve not got much choice really, never mind bringing in new players I have my work cut out to keep many of my stars. Harry Kane among them. If Poch ends up at Real Madrid, then that situation becomes even more precarious.
“I always talked about the club’s potential, the quality of the players.” - I can’t remember if I've ever been overtly critical of the club when I was elsewhere, so I better get this one out there. I do remember saying I could never manage Spurs because of my history with Chelsea.
“There is not one manager in the world who does not like to play young players, the problem is sometimes you get into clubs were the work below you is not good enough to produce these players.” Everyone always bangs on about me not playing youngsters. If I take a swipe at all my previous clubs and the failings of their academies, then that should take the heat off for the time being.