This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
Published on July 5, 2020, Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has expressed a pragmatic view on his team's chances of finishing in the top six of the Premier League.
Speaking at his virtual news conference on Saturday, Mourinho stated that it would not be the end of the world if his side failed to finish in the top six, something that has not happened since 2009.
His comments come after a 3-1 defeat by Sheffield United left Tottenham ninth in the table and struggling to qualify for Europe.
They are 10 points behind fifth-placed Manchester United, and only a win against Everton on Monday will revive their flagging hopes.
“If that doesn’t happen it’s not the end of the world, it’s probably the beginning of a new world,” Mourinho told reporters.
He also acknowledged that things change in football, including squad dynamics, motivations, and group strength, and that his team would have to look at the situation with optimism and a professional profile for next season.
“If you analyse Tottenham last year, for example, how many matches do they win away from home?” Mourinho asked.
He also expressed his concern over his team's performance, stating that he was disturbed by their defeat to Sheffield United and that he believed they could have done more.
“That’s something that disturbs me. It’s something that I feel, I don’t know, that’s my way of being — it’s something that destroys me a little bit on the inside because I think the last thing in football is when you have the feeling you could, you should do more,” he said.
