Europa League - 'The basics of football is attitude' - Jose Mourinho rips into Tottenham players
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Updated 19/03/2021 at 12:49 GMT
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho had words of praise for Dinamo Zagreb, and masses of criticism for his own squad, suggesting they failed to appreciate the importance of the occasion in their second-leg defeat at the round of 16 stage. Mislav Orsic hit a hat-trick as Dinamo came back from a two-goal disadvantage to make the next round.
'They beat us on attitude' - Mourinho after Dinamo Zagreb shock
An ashen Jose Mourinho criticised his Tottenham players' performance and attitude after their 3-2 aggregate loss to Dinamo Zagreb to the Europa League.
"I feel sorry that my team is the team that didn't bring to the game not just the basics of football, but the basics of life - to respect our jobs and to give everything," he told BT Sport immediately after the game.
He praised his side's opponents, whose striker Mislav Orsic completed his hat-trick in extra time, saying: "In the first half of the extra time [there] was one team that decided to leave everything on the pitch, they left everything there, they left sweat, they left energy, they left blood. At the end of the game, they left even tears of happiness - very humble, very committed."
"My team didn't look like they were playing an important match," he added.
"For the respect I have for my career and my job, every match is important. For every Tottenham fan at home every match matters. Another attitude is needed. To say I feel sad is not enough. What I feel goes much more than sadness. I just left the Dinamo dressing room where I went to praise the guys and I feel sorry one team - not my team won - the game based on attitude and compromise.
"Football is not just about players who think they have more quality than others. The basics of football is attitude. They beat us on that. I told the players the risk of a bad attitude. It happened because I believe the players only realised it was in risk when they scored the second, and went to extra time."
When presented with pundit Glenn Hoddle's thoughts on the display, Mourinho brushed them aside, explaining: "I don't need external critics, because I feel deeply hurt with what happened with my team."
"I can only apologise to the Tottenham supporters," Mourinho added. "I hope my players feel the same way I feel."
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