Tottenham have sacked Jose Mourinho after 17 months as leader, the club have confirmed.
Spurs announced the decision on Monday morning, less than twelve hours after confirming that they, along with five other English clubs, including Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool, would form members of a new European Super League.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said: “Jose and his coaching staff have been with us through some of our most challenging times as a club. Jose is a true professional who has shown tremendous resilience during the pandemic.
“On a personal level, I enjoyed working with him and regret that things did not work out as we both envisioned. He will always be welcome here and we want to thank him and his coaching staff for their contribution. “
Tottenham are seventh in the Premier League, five points behind the top four and take on Manchester City in the EFL Cup final on Sunday.
Mourinho has lost 13 games in all competitions this season, more than any other in his managerial career, and sources told ESPN that members of the group became frustrated by his willingness to criticize the players in public after defeats.
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The 58-year-old succeeds Mauricio Pochettino in November 2019 with the specific aim of winning silverware and retaining the club’s presence in the Champions League.
Mourinho has shown signs of feeling tense during tense negotiations with reporters at news conferences, but sources claim he has the conviction that he would beat City’s weekend and deliver the club’s first trophy since 2008.
ESPN reported on February 19 that Spurs wanted to wait until the end of the season before determining Mourinho’s fate, especially to explain in which European competition the club will play next season. They remain in a scramble to qualify for the Champions League, but the competition has been plunged into chaos by Sunday night’s dramatic announcement of the formation of a new Super League in which Spurs plan to take part.
Although there are likely to be a lot of legal challenges and strong opposition within the existing structure of the game, the clubs are at the forefront of the breakaway confident that it is successful, and the timing of Mourinho’s retirement is another sign that Spurs are expecting that this will become a new vision. a reality.
Spurs coach Ryan Mason will oversee training on Monday. Sources told ESPN that Mason and Chris Powell are likely to be appointed on an interim basis until the end of the season when the search for a new manager begins.