Jose Mourinho and Tottenham must focus on trophies above all else

Mourinho knows what he needs to prioritise…

One game should never lull supporters into a (false) sense of security. However, don’t tell Spurs fans that after this weekend. Tottenham beat West Ham 3-2 at the London Stadium in Jose Mourinho’s first match in charge of the club. Based on this game, Mourinho might have enough magic to sprinkle on this team for the remainder of this season.

Spurs Pound Hammers

Dele Alli looked like the Dele that broke out a few years ago and launched his career in the top flight, to the National Team, and eventually a World Cup. He pulled the strings, showed an impressive work rate, and combined well with his teammates. Harry Kane, Lucas Moura, and Heung-Min Son all scored against the Hammers as well in a good attacking performance.

Where Mourinho usually shines, though, is at the back. Notorious for parking the bus and sacrificing aesthetics for results, Mourinho’s team started off well. However, they stumbled in the last quarter of an hour, surrendering two goals.

Mourinho Hired For Trophies

The question is, though, what constitutes a “good” season with Mourinho now in charge?

Based on Mourinho’s history, any season without silverware is undoubtedly a bust. And certainly, Chairman Daniel Levy brought in the Special One to win trophies, especially after the team failed to win anything under previous manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Mourinho is the anti-Poch. Win by any means necessary. Even if the fans hate it, the media kills him, and the board gets flack, Mourinho will get you trophies, something management at Tottenham know they so desperately need.

Build a glamorous stadium all you want. Have the captain of the England National Team. Play a beautiful enviable style. But if you can’t win a final, it all means nothing. And Levy brought in Mourinho to put on the finishing touches.

Surely the two know they will clash over money, transfers, direction of the club, and so much more. That doesn’t matter, though. Levy also needs a trophy. He needs the complete package as well to get the fans off his back and justify everything he’s done while at the club. He too is trying to win at all costs.

Mourinho Risk Factor

Levy’s brought in a manager he knows he’ll butt heads with. He hired someone that will likely bash him in public to the media. He got a manager who will probably rile up the fan base, both positively and negatively.

But that doesn’t matter. As long as Mourinho wins a trophy, it’s all worth it.

At some point, it’ll probably end badly. Mourinho will criticize the board one too many times for someone’s liking in a press conference. He’ll likely fall out with some, if not several, of the players. And a fair majority of those might be important players as well.

Knowing Mourinho, he’ll start bragging about his previous successes. He might even throw players under the bus publicly. And just for good measure, Mourinho will talk about money and not having enough.

But if they win trophies? It will all be worth it. Hey, it wasn’t working the other way.

FA Cup Or Bust

And because of that, Levy and Mourinho are on the same page. And that’s why they have to go for the FA Cup this season.

Can they make a shock run to the UCL Final again this year? It’s all but inconceivable, especially when you think about the favorites like Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, et al. If they reached it last year, they could theoretically just as easily make a wild run. But, highly unlikely.

The Premier League? Probably not and too far off the pace this season already.

But an FA Cup run? Well within the cards and desirable, in fact. First, the FA Cup would finally get the monkey off of Tottenham’s back. The club and players have nothing tangible to show for all the work they’ve done in recent years.

Plus, for Mourinho, that would kick off his era in North London well and give them that confidence and momentum to build for his first full season in charge. And more nefariously, it would give him another trophy, and with another club, to brag about.

And for Levy, he will have finally added to the trophy cabinet. Despite all the penny pinching, fan consternation, and sometimes baffling decisions, it will all have been worth it. He finally got it right.

Optimism Abound For Spurs?

It’s only been one game, but Spurs should feel cautiously optimistic with Mourinho at the helm. The manager and chairman are on the same page and the squad now has a coach that specializes in silverware.

When Mourinho first went to Chelsea in 2004, they won the first trophy available, the League Cup. At Inter Milan, he won the League in his first campaign. When he went to Real Madrid, he won the Copa Del Rey in his first year and La Liga the next. And at Manchester United, he raked in the League Cup and the Europa League in first year.

If Mourinho’s track record says anything, it’s that he wins when he goes to a new club. And for Spurs, their first opportunity for silverware is the FA Cup. That should be the focus. Even the most outrageously bullish of Spurs fans know the Premier League and/or Champions League trophies are lofty and almost unattainable goals.

Don’t play the kids. Don’t rotate. Play your best XI in the FA Cup, even if it comes with a finish outside the top four. Yes, Champions League money is big and Levy definitely doesn’t want to miss out on that.

For just one year though? Maybe the tradeoff is worth it. No UCL money on top of Mourinho bringing headaches, nightmares, and drama. All, though, while winning a trophy.

Mourinho may lead Spurs to half a dozen trophies or he may get fired this season…while winning trophies. It sounds crazy, but he may win the FA Cup and still get fired, or at the very least quit. Don’t put it past him.

Next. Jose Mourinho is ready to correct big Tottenham flaw. dark

With Mourinho, Spurs have the opportunity to shift from perennially second best to winning. And it should start with the Portuguese taking the team up the Wembley steps this May.

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