Jose Mourinho hints at scheduling complaints after Tottenham beat West Ham

Dimitri Kondonis
Updated

Jose Mourinho blamed fatigue as Tottenham surrendered two late goals in their 3-2 win against West Ham.

The north London side took a three-goal lead by the 49th minute, with Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura and Harry Kane all scoring.

Despite a predominantly comfortable match for the visitors, they conceded twice to Michail Antonio and Angelo Ogbonna before claiming the three points.

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Tottenham Hotspur's Portuguese head coach Jose Mourinho reacts at the final whistle during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at The London Stadium, in east London on November 23, 2019. - Tottenham Hotspur beat West Ham United 3-2. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Mourinho admitted the players were fatigued by the managerial shift in mid-week, as well as the international break. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Mourinho was appointed as Tottenham manager on Wednesday after the dramatic sacking of Mauricio Pochettino on Tuesday night.

It followed an international break which saw the likes of stars Kane and Son travel to Kosovo and Lebanon respectively.

And the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss mischievously hinted at scheduling issues once again - a trademark of his tenure in England - by claiming the West Ham goals were a product of fatigue.

“I was happy for an hour, we were playing very well,” He told BT Sport. “We were bringing to the game some things we had trained on a little bit.

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LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 23: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with Heung-Min Son of Tottenham Hotspur after scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at London Stadium on November 23, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
Son Heung-min opened the scoring for Spurs in the first half, before Harry Kane scored the winner in the 49th minute. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 23: Lucas Moura of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring his side's second goal with team mates Son Heung-Min and Serge Aurier during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at London Stadium on November 23, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)
The duo's strikes sandwiched a Lucas Moura goal shortly before half time. (Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)

“We spoke a lot about it and I was really happy and we had the chance to kill the game.

“I think we are lucky that I have so many years in the Premier League, that I told the players at half-time, ‘even if the score is 3-0, in minute 85 the game will be open’ and I think they understood that.

“But for the last 20 minutes of course, fatigue – people coming from their national teams and all the emotions of losing their manager and another one coming.”

Dele Alli was an immediate subject of the new manager’s attention - with the England international questioned on the boss’s first day in the job.

It seemed to provoke an immediate response from former MK Dons man Alli - who played a pivotal role in the first two goals Tottenham scored.

And Mourinho was impressed with Alli’s response in his first match.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 23: Jose Mourinho, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur embraces Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at London Stadium on November 23, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Mourinho asked Alli whether he was himself or his 'brother' in midweek, and Alli responded in style at West Ham. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

“I was happy with everyone, but if you ask if I was happy with Dele, then yes,” Mourinho added. “I spent a few minutes with him in training and also in our social life, outside the pitch.

“The best Dele has to be back. He’s too good not to be in the national team, he’s too good to not be a fundamental player for Spurs and he’s too good to not be one of the best players in the world.

“So he has to develop. He has to start from now, hopefully, without injuries and with some stability from a tactical point of view.

“He’s a fantastic player and today he showed that so I’m happy for him.”

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