Lessons not learnt as Mourinho goes public again?
Jose Mourinho publically blasted Tanguy Ndombele after the Burnley game and if history is anything to go by, this latest fall-out will not end well.
Mourinho did not name Ndombele in the aftermath of the 1-1 draw against the Clarets at Turf Moor, but it is clear who he was referring to when claiming he had no midfield in the first 45 minutes of the game.
Tottenham’s record signing was hauled off at the break and Mourinho will no doubt be hoping that his post-match comments will light the flame inside the player and get him producing the kind of performances that he knows he is capable of.
It could of course go the other way. Ndombele could take issue with the public lambasting and it could be the beginning of the end regarding their relationship.
After all, this is not the first time that Mourinho has criticised the player during his short time at the club, and the initial kick up the backside clearly hasn’t worked going off Saturday’s display.
In fact there have been a few cases where it hasn’t worked, most recently at Old Trafford.
In his last job at Manchester United, Mourinho’s relationship with some of the players was fragile to say the least and he did earn criticism for the way he publicly criticised them in the same manner he has Ndombele.
Jose Mourinho blasts Tanguy Ndombele after Tottenham draw to Burnley.#COYS | #THFC
— Spurs On Tap (@SpursOnTap) March 7, 2020
Reds defender Luke Shaw felt his wrath on more than one occasion, as did Anthony Martial, and in both those cases the criticism hardly brought out the best in both players.
Following a defeat against Brighton, Martial was heavily criticised with Mourinho saying: “People always ask: ‘Why always Lukaku?’ well, now they know why always Lukaku, and why always this player and why always that player.”
The relationship went downhill quickly and the pair clashed again when Martial failed to return for a United game after the birth of his child.
Also, while in charge at United, his rows with Paul Pogba were played out in public, with Mourinho calling the Frenchman “a virus” in the dressing room. Soon after Mourinho was axed so it is fair to say the public fall-outs with a number of players did not help.
Mourinho has had public bust-ups with players at most clubs he has managed. He fell out with Real Madrid legends Iker Casillas and Pepe, while during his time with Inter Milan his relationship with Ricardo Quaresma turned sour.
Mourinho telling the press: “Quaresma will have to learn, or he will not play.” It has a familiar tone to it. Mourinho may have altered a lot over the years, but if the Ndombele public dressing down is anything to go by, somethings may never change.
