On the latest episode of the Last Word On Spurs podcast, Ricky Sacks, Lee McQueen, Jamie Brown and Daniel Merriman have been discussing the latest goings-on at Tottenham Hotspur and looking ahead to the final game of the season against Crystal Palace.
One topic of conversation on the recent episode, which was titled: ‘Finishing Strong‘, was Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld. The Belgian defender was benched for the first few games after the Premier League restart in June, but has impressed at centre-back in recent fixtures, helping Spurs to three clean sheets in their last five fixtures (per WhoScored). The 31-year-old signed a new contract with the Lilywhites earlier in the season, something which those on the podcast feel wouldn’t have happened, had Jose Mourinho not taken charge.
Here’s what McQueen had to say about the former Atletico Madrid man on the podcast:
“It’s about trophies, definitely for the fans, and that’s one of the reasons why we’ve got Jose in charge and that’s actually why these players are signing. Toby was not going to sign a contract under [Mauricio] Pochettino, it wasn’t going to happen. The reality of the situation is, Toby wouldn’t have even been here if it weren’t for Jose coming in, he would have been in the same situation as Jan Vertonghen.”
TIF Thoughts…
Alderweireld was touted as a player likely to leave last summer under Pochettino but the club failed to agree a move away for him. However, when Mourinho came in, the defender was quick to sign a new deal and commit his future to the North London club.
Do you think that Alderweireld would have left if it weren't for Jose?
Yes
No
His performances in recent games, most notably against Arsenal, suggest that he can be a really important player for Mourinho going forward and you would perhaps expect him to continue being a regular under the Portuguese manager next season.