Date published: Thursday 18th June 2020 8:33
Jamie Carragher believes Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho is in danger of looking outdated in the modern game.
Carragher believes the brand of football that brought him so much success no longer appears a winning formula at the highest level.
Mourinho will lock horns with former employers Manchester United on Friday, as the Premier League restart continues. The game that could have huge ramifications in the battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
After winning his first meeting with Mourinho back in December, Ole Gunner Solskjaer will be wanting to get one over his predecessor again.
Carragher suggests Mourinho will view the belated resumption of the Premier League as a golden opportunity for Spurs to get back in the race to secure a top-five finish. That might yet be enough to earn them a route into next season’s Champions League.
“I am very wary of saying the game has moved on from managers like Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez. They are European Cup winners and top-class coaches,” the Sky Sports pundit said. “But you question whether they can still win the big trophies with the style of play they use.
“There is no doubt the high-energy attacking football we see now is not the football we saw when the Liverpool team I was in won the Champions League in 2005 under Rafa or when Jose was winning titles with Chelsea. They had a different way.
“I am not one for writing off a style of football or saying this style is right and this style is wrong. So many different formations have won titles. Let’s not forget that Leicester wasn’t the most expansive team when they won the title not long ago. The same was true for Chelsea under Antonio Conte.
“Also, it wasn’t that long ago that Mourinho won the Premier League with Chelsea in his second spell at the club. But the teams that play a different way and maybe a more progressive way are winning more consistently now.”
Mourinho hasn’t started well – Carragher
“Don’t get me wrong, I like the fact that Mourinho can do a job on a Guardiola team,” Carragher added. “He he did a few months ago when Spurs beat City 2-0 at home. It adds to the Premier League.
“Sean Dyche plays a bit more direct at Burnley and it’s always interesting to see how Liverpool or City fare when they go to Turf Moor and have to play a different style?
“I think it is great that we have different styles and different ways of doing things and I still believe that different styles and different formations can win leagues.
“But things have not started too well for Jose at Spurs and he needs to find a way to get them winning again.”
By Matt Owen
Sky Sports and NOW TV will show 64 matches – 39 exclusive to subscribers and an extra 25 available more widely on Sky One. Spurs v Man United is live on Sky Sports on Friday night.
