You will never see a match between two lower half of the table sides as highly anticipated as this one. Jose Mourinho is back in the game! After just shy of a year out of football, the former Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid (among many others) boss is now the manager at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Portugese is apparently humbled by the time he spent out of football In his first interview back he showed some remorse and contrition. Queried on whether or not he believes he’s a better manager now after having spent some time on the sidelines, Mourinho answered: “I think so. You are what you are but I had time to think about many things.”
“I realized that during my career, I made mistakes and I’m not going to make the same mistakes. I’m going to make new mistakes. I am humble. I am humble enough to analyze my career, and the problems. There was no one else to blame.
“These last 11 months have been used to think and to prepare. You never lose your DNA. You are what you are — for the good things and the bad things. I know in my career that I’ve made mistakes.”
“Happiness-wise I am convinced my choice was a great one. [On a scale of one to 10]? 10.”
“I’m nobody to advise people but to have a break was very positive for me. Having the first summer where I didn’t work was not good for me. I was a bit lost. But it was good for me. I even learned how to be a pundit.”
Well the punditry gig is over now! It’s back to the pitch, tactics, organization, management, and of course, since this is Mourinho, mind games! Let’s take a look at who he might select for his first team in the first match he’s in charge at White Hart Lane.
Tottenham Hotspur Starting XI Prediction at West Ham United
Kane
Son Dele Eriksen
Ndombele Sissoko
Rose Sanchez Alderweireld Foyth
Gazzaniga
Tottenham Hotspur at West Ham United FYIs
Kickoff: Nov. 23, 12:30 pm London Stadium
Team news for both sides: go to this link
Starting XI Predictions: Tottenham Hotspur West Ham United
More on the Mourinho hiring: go to this link and also this link
Google’s result probability: Tottenham Hotspur win 54%, Draw 24%, West Ham United victory 22%
Form Guide: Tottenham Hotspur- DDLDL West Ham United- LLDLL
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 1, West Ham United 0
Mourinho will play uhm, uhh “pragmatic,” but he’ll get the W.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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