Sat 18 July 2020, 11:54
Tottenham HotspurJose Mourinho's regular, exclusive pre-match sit down with Spurs TV, and a huge game to preview as we take on Leicester City in our final home match of the season.
We've lost just one of our last eight to sit seventh in the table, one point behind Wolves in sixth. Leicester, meanwhile, are in a three-way battle for the final two places in the top four with Chelsea and United.
1 - Mood
It was put to Jose that the mood around the camp had to be good after following the derby win with victory at Newcastle on Wednesday...
Jose: “It’s fantastic, yes, but I think we all know what is waiting for us. We are playing against one of the best teams in the league, a team that is fighting to play Champions League. So, we know what is waiting for us - a very difficult match.”
2 - Positives
On football’s return last month, Jose spoke about the importance of our final nine games in terms of a base for next season, so was he getting a positive feel about what he was seeing?
Jose: “The numbers, they tell a lot. We would be in a Champions League position (if the league started when Jose took over). The numbers tell us clearly. I don’t believe next season we are going to have similar problems to this season. I think that’s impossible. To have these positive feelings about the way the team is playing, the way the team is competing, is also very important, to transfer something that you bring from this season into the beginning of next season. So, yes, I’m very optimistic for next season, and I think the players are too. But, we’ve two matches to play and two matches to win if we want to qualify for Europe.”
3 - Skippy
Talking about positives, Academy graduate Oliver Skipp signed a new deal this week - much to Jose’s delight...
Jose: “He’s ready for us, and I think he’s one of these players where there are no question marks in front of him. Is he going on loan because of his desire to play every minute of every match? It’s possible, and we’ve left the door open for him because we want to do the right thing for him. But if he does that, it’s to go with one foot, and to be back with the other, because he’s a Tottenham player, a special boy with a special feeling for the Club. I am very, very happy and the other kids, the younger ones from the Academy, they can look at him like the generation before looked to Harry Kane and Harry Winks and other guys. This generation can look at him and follow his example because he’s a phenomenal professional.”
We are playing against a team fighting to play Champions League, so we know what is waiting for us - a very difficult match
4 - Leicester
It's a huge game on Sunday - we’re chasing Europe, Leicester are chasing Champions League. What is Jose expecting?
Jose: “It’s a big game. Since day one, they are in this position. They started the season very, very well and managed to be always there - third, fourth, third, fourth, third, fourth. They still are, and I’m pretty sure that in the remaining two matches they are not going to want to lose what was theirs for the whole season, so yes, a big match.”
5 - Points all that matter
It was pointed out to Jose in his pre-match press conference that if we manage to beat Leicester, it will be four wins on the trot for the first time at the new stadium...
Jose: “I didn’t know, and more important than that are the points we need, a little bit like when we played Arsenal, very important to win the derby or when we played Newcastle, my first victory (in the Premier League) at St James’ Park. Nothing is more important now, the only thing that matters are the points we need, so I don’t even think about the first time we can make four victories at home at the new stadium, I just think we need these points.”
