With reports surfacing that former Chelsea and Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has rejected the chance to take charge of Olympique Lyonnais, Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been sharing their thoughts on the potential of appointing the Portuguese to replace Mauricio Pochettino in North London.
RMC Sport claimed on Wednesday that Lyon President Jean-Michel Aulas had approached Mourinho over replacing the recently dismissed Sylvinho, but saw his approach rejected.
Lyon are now thought to have turned their attention to former France and Paris Saint-Germain boss Laurent Blanc (AS), as they would like to secure their replacement for Sylvinho before the first-team return from international duty next week.
Mourinho has been out of work since being sacked by Manchester United last December, but decided against accepting the chance of returning to the dugout in Ligue 1 as he would like to soon take up a position in England, where his family are settled.
Spurs are thought to be among the clubs that would appeal to the Portuguese (Daily Mail), who is monitoring the situation in North London in case Pochettino is fired amid Tottenham’s sluggish start to the season.
Tottenham are not currently said to be prepared to part ways with Pochettino, who has a £32million break clause in his contract, but the potential of Mourinho replacing the Argentine has sparked debate on social media.
For some Spurs supporters, they would gladly welcome Mourinho to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as he would bring a pedigree for winning trophies and getting the most out of a lone striker.
One fan has suggested this could see Harry Kane become a 40-goals a season forward, after Mourinho worked wonders with Didier Drogba at Chelsea, Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid and Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Inter Milan.
Here are some of the messages shared:
Mourinho is a specialist in winning & with a lone striker! He & Harry r made for each other. Harry will get 40 goals a season under Jose! Zlatan at Inter, Drogba at Chelski, Ronaldo at Madrid! Won a hatful of trophies & improved the Striker! Jose is perfect 4 Spurs! Sad but true!
— Tunde (@Tunde98091312) October 10, 2019
I love Poch but Mourinho is a proven winner why not take a chance it’s basically the same gamble we have with Poch. We need change in mindset and Mou has that.
— E-man™ (@emanboat23) October 10, 2019
They will find any excuse to keep Poch. As much as I would love to see us succeed with Poch, he’s had 5 years to win some silverware; we blew our lead in the league twice, we’ve chocked in the finals of the League Cup and the UCL and we have never got past the semis of the FA Cup
— Carlos Kickaball (@CKickaball) October 10, 2019
Leicester won the league with Jose football!! Once I’ve worn my shirt with ‘Tottenham Hotspur, Champions of England’ on the back, we can go back to 49 passes & goal of the season contenders!! Just 1 season??????
— Tunde (@Tunde98091312) October 10, 2019
Mourinho: “You’ve done a great job, Mauricio”. “Time for me to fulfill my destiny. I’ll take it from here”. pic.twitter.com/EqJzSLHcK2
— Carlos Kickaball (@CKickaball) October 10, 2019
Atleast he’s won something I always return to what has poch won?? Can’t credit poch for everything those players did these past seasons Kane’s england performances prime example
— Chris (@chrisCOYS__) October 10, 2019
But while some Spurs supporters would gladly welcome Mourinho to North London, there are parts of the Tottenham fanbase who would vividly oppose the Portuguese replacing Pochettino.
Those fans have voiced their hope in seeing Chairman Daniel Levy allow Pochettino to have more time to turn things around, with one noting the former Southampton boss is ‘100 times better than Mourinho’.
Pochettino has helped move Tottenham from a position as regular top-four hopefuls to an established Champions League qualifying outfit during his time at the club, and last season saw Spurs reach the Champions League Final.
Spurs have struggled this term, though, with three Premier League wins from eight, and were hammered in the Champions League by Bayern Munich after allowing Olympiacos to fight back from two goals behind to salvage a point in the opening Group Stage encounter of the campaign.
WE DONT WANT HIM
— Mauricio?? (@MalteThfc) October 10, 2019
HELL NO TO MOURINHO #COYS
— Andre L (@AndreL0313) October 10, 2019
Pochettino is 100 times better than Mourinho
— Eduardo Brandao (@gomesbrandao83) October 11, 2019
For the love of Spurs please NO!
— Brooky72 (@Brooky721) October 11, 2019
Poch has this given time
Mourinho is not an option EVER— Andy TTID (@Bytor14) October 10, 2019
We don’t want him.
— Tony Mcloughlin (@TonyMac8165) October 10, 2019
Of those against Mourinho’s potential arrival as the successor to Pochettino, there are some Spurs fans that do feel a change at the helm is needed if Tottenham are to end their trophy drought.
Names like Ajax’s Erik ten Hag, RB Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann and Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers have been mooted as more worthy candidates to take charge in North London, along with the currently unemployed Massimiliano Allegri.
Ten Hag helped Ajax reach the Champions League Semi-Finals last season in a campaign that featured wins over Real Madrid and Juventus, while 32-year-old Nagelsmann won 55 of 136 fixtures with TSG Hoffenheim across all competitions (TransferMarkt) before moving to Leipzig this summer.
We definitely need a new manager but I think I’d prefer Ten Hag, Nagelsmann or Rodgers.
Mourinho just concerns me how tetchy he’s become, fallimg out with numerous players and spends so much money.
The others promote youth etc
But he is a winner— Jamie Richards (@Jamie50R) October 10, 2019
I wouldn’t mind Allegri if we don’t get Mourinho.
— Darryl Cullip (@D_Cullip32) October 10, 2019