Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur have officially announced the appointment of Jose Mourinho as their manager. They have signed him as their manager for a contract that will run until the end of the 2022-2023 season. The appointment has come hours after former boss Mauricio Pochettino was sacked late night on Tuesday.
Pochettino, who joined the north London club in 2014, has led the club to become a powerhouse in English football. During his reign, Spurs achieved the second spot in English Premier League in the 2016-17 season, their best-ever result in 50 years.
He was also in charge of Harry Kane & boys’ phenomenal Champions League campaign last season. They defeated Ajax on away goals after trailing 3-0 on aggregate at halftime in the second leg of the semi-final but lost 2-0 to fellow English side Liverpool in the final.
However, the domestic performance in the last few months have been underwhelming and the club officials stated that as the major reason for the removal of Pochettino.
“We were extremely reluctant to make this change and it is not a decision the Board has taken lightly, nor in haste,” Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said in the official statement.
He added, “Regrettably domestic results at the end of last season and beginning of this season have been extremely disappointing.”
Mourinho was the frontrunner for the role of the new job and it does not come as a surprise that his appointment has been confirmed within hours of the sacking.
“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Jose Mourinho as Head Coach on a contract that runs until the end of the 2022/23 season,” said an official statement from the club.
Speaking of the Mourinho’s appointment, Levy stated, “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.”
It is worth highlighting that this will be Mourinho’s first managerial assignment after he was removed as the Manchester United manager in December last year.
“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,” Mourinho was quoted as saying on his appointment.