Jose Mourinho reveals incredible irony on appointment as Tottenham manager

Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, November 20, appointed former Manchester United and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho as their new manager. The Spurs sacked Mauricio Pochettino on Tuesday after a string of poor results in the 2019/20 Premier League season. Pochettino had guided Tottenham Hotspur to their first-ever Champions League final in June, where they lost to Liverpool, making the Spurs' decision an extremely controversial one in the Premier League world.

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Tottenham Hotspur sack Mauricio Pochettino, appoint Jose Mourinho as manager

Speaking on his appointment, Jose Mourinho said in an official press release: “I am excited to be joining a club with such a great heritage and such passionate supporters. The quality in both the squad and the academy excites me. Working with these players is what has attracted me.” Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy added: “In Jose, we have one of the most successful managers in football. He has a wealth of experience, can inspire teams and is a great tactician. He has won honours at every club he has coached. We believe he will bring energy and belief to the dressing room.”

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Jose Mourinho rejected Tottenham's first approach 12 years ago

Incidentally, Jose Mourinho had rejected Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy’s first approach about 12 years ago, saying that he couldn’t take up the job due to his love and respect for Chelsea. However, Mourinho has now signed a contract running up to 2023 ironically, replacing Mauricio Pochettino. The Portuguese manager had been quizzed about an approach from Levy in 2015 when he was Chelsea manager.

Chelsea were to take on Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley for the League Cup final, which the former won 2-0. He said Levy approached him in 2007 after he left Chelsea for the first time but said he couldn’t take up the offer because of his love for Chelsea supporters. Tottenham Hotspur face West Ham in Jose Mourinho’s first game in charge on Saturday.

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Jose Mourinho back to the Premier League

Jose Mourinho returns to the Premier League 11 months after being sacked by Manchester United. He won the Carabao Cup and Europa League in his time as United manager. He returns to London after 2 spells with Chelsea, winning 3 Premier League titles at the club.

Also Read: Jose Mourinho Reveals What Made Him Join Tottenham Hotspur After Pochettino Sacking