Tottenham sacking Jose Mourinho before the Carabao Cup final is crazy, says Derby boss Wayne Rooney
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ByEurosport
Updated 20/04/2021 at 08:22 GMT
Wayne Rooney, who played under Jose Mourinho when the Portuguese was in charge at Manchester United, said Spurs should have waited until after Sunday's final to pull the plug on the 58-year-old's tenure. Spurs have endured a dismal run of form this season and fans are disgruntled by the team's style of play under the former Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss.
'We are not a horse' - Mourinho press conference highlights at Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur's decision to sack manager Jose Mourinho just days before their League Cup final against Manchester City is "crazy", former England skipper Wayne Rooney said.
"I think it's crazy doing it before a Cup final," Derby County manager Rooney told reporters.
"It's strange timing anyway. Surely they could have waited until after the Cup final if that's the direction they wanted to go in.
"Mourinho is a manager who loves winning trophies, that's quite clear to see. He's won a lot of trophies throughout his career ... I'm sure (Spurs chairman) Daniel Levy could have waited until the day after the game.
If there was one manager to set up a team to play against City in a Cup final it's Mourinho. Tottenham haven't had the best of seasons, so from that point of view it's crazy and a massive risk.
Tottenham forward Son Heung-min thanked Mourinho after the announcement of his sacking.
"I have no words to describe how I'm feeling, it's been a pleasure to work with you," Son said on Instagram.
"I'm sorry things didn't work out and truly grateful for the time we've had together. Good luck and all the best for the future."
Mourinho told Sky Sports there was no need for a break from the game. "I'm always in football," he added.
Hasenhuttl: Mourinho sacking makes Spurs game harder
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said Mourinho's sacking makes it much harder for his side to prepare for Wednesday's Premier League game against the London club.
"It changes everything," Hasenhuttl told a news conference. "Everything you normally tell your players, what they have to expect, from one day to the next, is not there anymore.
"We don't have a long time to prepare for the game, and it makes it even more difficult now. It's even more difficult because at the weekend they have a big final, but we have to handle it and concentrate on us."
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Sacked Mourinho leaves Spurs training ground for last time
Hasenhuttl said there was no doubts about Mourinho's standing as a manager but added that Spurs had underachieved under him.
"He is maybe the most successful manager at the moment," he said. "He has had such a big impact but hadn't had a very good year with Tottenham, they are below what they try to achieve.
"They had a good start and then ... dropped back. These are normal in football. When you're not successful you're under pressure as a manager and there's the moment when the club decides to sack you."
Ferdinand: Timing makes no sense
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand thinks the timing of Mourinho's sacking "doesn’t make sense".
"I was and I wasn’t. The cup final is this weekend, the timing of it!" Ferdinand told his FIVE YouTube channel.
"If you said to me, ‘Rio you’ve got to bet everything you’ve got – will he get sacked this summer or not?’ I would have said yes, especially if they finish outside the top four.
"But the timing man, it just doesn’t make sense and I think there’s going to be more fall-out from this as to why he’s gone now.
"It’s not normal for a manager to be sacked a week before a cup final. Has he disagreed with what’s going on with the European Super League and Spurs joining it? I don’t know.
"There could be so many different reasons why he’s gone. But Mourinho doesn’t do things conventionally, does he? This is a mad move at a mad time and I need to hear more."
Additional reporting by Reuters.
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