Peterborough United owner and club director of football, Barry Fry, has taken a dim view of Spurs boss Jose Mourinho’s ‘defensive’ tactical preferences – but backed Spurs to trust the tactician until the end of the season.
Spurs fans have had to endure a less-than-scintillating season that has seen them crash out of the Europa League and FA Cup in recent months, but a spot in the Carabao Cup final remains the last shred of hope in Mourinho’s quest to end Spurs’ trophy drought.
Speaking to Football FanCast, Barry Fry backed the Spurs board to retain faith in Mourinho, at least until the end of the current campaign: “I think he will probably let him see it out, they’re still in the cup final. I would like to see them win a bit of silverware, that’s why Jose Mourinho went there, but it’s a tall order against Manchester City.
“Tottenham are [a] very exciting team when they go forward, but I think where the Spurs fans and [Daniel] Levy himself gets very frustrated is when Mourinho plays a bit negative, a bit defensive-minded, and it doesn’t suit the players that he’s got.
“His defence isn’t good enough and his forwards are. Tottenham are always brought up with great football, entertaining. And there’s been a few games this season where they have been pretty boring. The Tottenham fans don’t want to see their team like that.”
Given Mourinho’s calibre in a career lined with silverware managing many of Europe’s elite sides, there is surely a prevailing belief at Spurs that the Portuguese tactician will deliver.
To avoid a knee-jerk sacking in spite of less-than-encouraging play retains a degree of shrewdness, though fans will surely be hoping Mourinho throws off the shackles sooner rather than later.
Their 2-2 draw with Newcastle United will likely not have done much to dampen any discontent among the fanbase, though this month’s Carabao Cup final at least hands the Portuguese a shot at achieving what would undeniably be perceived as progress despite their faltering campaigns in the league and Europe.
Therefore, in that sense, it would not be a huge surprise for Spurs’ situation to play out in the way Fry has suggested.
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