Close menu

Tanguy Ndombele: Jose Mourinho slates Tottenham's record signing

Last updated on .From the section Tottenhamcomments701

Tanguy Ndombele tackles Ashley Westwood in the 1-1 draw between Burnley and Tottenham
Ndombele was making just his third Premier League start for Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho singled out the club's £54m record signing Tanguy Ndombele for criticism after substituting the midfielder at half-time in the 1-1 draw at Burnley.

Spurs dominated midfield in the opening 45 minutes and Burnley capitalised when Chris Wood put the hosts ahead.

Ndombele and Oliver Skipp made way for Giovani lo Celso and Lucas Moura at the break as Spurs fought back for a draw.

"In the first half we didn't have a midfield," said Mourinho.

"Of course I'm not speaking of Skipp because he's a kid of 19 who's played two hours in the last few days. I don't criticise him at all.

"But I'm not going to run away and I have to say he [Ndombele] has had enough time to come to a different level.

"I know the Premier League is difficult, and some players take a long time to adapt to a different league.

"But a player with his potential has to give us more than he is giving us, especially when you see how Lucas, Lo Celso and those players are playing. I was expecting more in the first half from him."

The double change worked for Tottenham as they put in a much-improved second-half display and Dele Alli's penalty earned the visitors a point.

Mourinho suggested Ndombele - who joined Spurs from Lyon last summer and has made 24 appearances this season - may find it difficult to get back into the side.

"Many fantastic players in their first season, in a new country, for different reasons they struggle," the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss added. "There have been many examples of that.

"He's a player with great talent. He has to know he has to do much better and know I cannot keep giving him opportunities to play because the team is much more important."

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

701 comments

  • Comment posted by Celts, at 22:14 7 Mar 2020

    In his last 9 seasons managing English clubs, Mourinho has won 1 league title and been sacked 3 times! (soon to be 4)

    Is it about time we start calling him a specialist in failure?

  • Comment posted by SW, at 22:04 7 Mar 2020

    Seriously how often do you see Klopp or Guardiola makes comments like this? Even in times when their teams were struggling they don't say stuff like this.

    Mourinho is a checkbook manager not a man manager! There's a reason why he keeps on losing dressing rooms!

  • Comment posted by JM, at 21:49 7 Mar 2020

    Mourinho casually throwing Spurs record signing under the bus!

    Just remember Spurs fans the beginning under Mourinho is the good times (yes 8th place is the good times for you). Just wait until the dressing room starts turning on him (which it inevitably will) then things will start to get real ugly!!

  • Comment posted by SW, at 22:08 7 Mar 2020

    In summer 2018 Rui Faria left as Jose Mourinhos assistant of 17 years:

    Since then Mourinho has managed 17 league games for Man United and 17 league games for Spurs.

    Of these 34 games he's won 15 of them, giving him a win percentage of 44%.

    You read that right, 44% without Faria!! He's a fraud!!!

  • Comment posted by Chortel, at 21:40 7 Mar 2020

    ...and so it begins...

  • Comment posted by mentor, at 22:38 7 Mar 2020

    Spurs deserve everything they get. Imagine sacking a modern manager in Poch to appoint this has been who consistently blames everyone but himself.

  • Comment posted by Freespeechplease, at 21:44 7 Mar 2020

    Mourinho at it again criticising his players in public. He'll be gone soon so don't worry spurs fans.

  • Comment posted by Nic77, at 21:57 7 Mar 2020

    Mourinho without money is nothing

  • Comment posted by Celts, at 21:51 7 Mar 2020

    I said at the time of Mourinho joining Spurs it was a weird move for him.

    I guess he was upset that he'd been made to look a total mug by Klopp and Guardiola during his last year at United and wanted to give the premier league another crack.

    Spurs is the 1st team he's been at which hasn't been the richest or 2nd richest club in their own league.

    And he's flopped, big time!

  • Comment posted by IssP227, at 21:56 7 Mar 2020

    So it seems as though we won't even have to wait 3 years for the usual Mourinho meltdown! Can't wait to see it all unfold!!!

    #LessMoneyMoreProblemsJose

  • Comment posted by invincible 49, at 22:14 7 Mar 2020

    When spurs win, its thanks to Mourinho. When they don’t, it’s because the players aren’t good enough.

    He is a tedious, divisive, hateful little man. Any club that chooses to employ him have nobody to blame but themselves.

  • Comment posted by The Shire, at 21:44 7 Mar 2020

    Didn't take long for the friendly facade to be lifted, now the bullying and singling out of individuals publicly begins.

  • Comment posted by JoSwinsonsEUBribe, at 21:47 7 Mar 2020

    Here wego...Jose has started on the players 18months quicker than usual. He is seeking his payout already. Gone by Christmas...what a fraud

  • Comment posted by Tom, at 22:39 7 Mar 2020

    Mourinho's honeymoon period is getting shorter and shorter.

    When his career first started he regularly had 2.5 good years before falling out with everyone at the end of the third season.

    At United he had 1.5 good years and then alienated everyone.

    At Spurs it was, what, 3 months?

  • Comment posted by jayums, at 23:29 7 Mar 2020

    Nobody wanted Pochettino to go. This is on you levy.

  • Comment posted by Ella, at 22:30 7 Mar 2020

    It’s Mourinho’s job to criticise his players if they fall below the standards he expects. But it should stay in the dressing room. This has been a weakness in Mourinho for some time now, and he’s starting to do it at Spurs. Things could start to turn sour if he keeps doing it, which he will.

  • Comment posted by silvaware, at 21:45 7 Mar 2020

    I blame the physio

  • Comment posted by Bolton of Yorkshire, at 22:41 7 Mar 2020

    Mourinho loves buses. Parking them and throwing his players under them.

  • Comment posted by mp, at 22:39 7 Mar 2020

    Wow can’t believe Mourinho has the nerve to criticize his players after every game remember he picks the team how can players play for him after endless degrading of them surely Mourinho should be looking at himself more a manager once good but been lost with the times ,football has changed but Mourinho hasn’t moved with them spurs are in real trouble with him in charge

  • Comment posted by Stoney, at 23:23 7 Mar 2020

    Mourinho blames everybody but himself. His tactics are outdated and negative. Overloaded with defenders which puts more pressure on the few midfielders and attackers to produce miracles. Strange thing is we still can’t defend for toffee. I wish Mourinho would go tomorrow. We’ve gone backwards 10 years in the 6 months he’s been at Spurs. He’s ruined everything. I hate him with a passion.

Top Stories

Also in Sport

Elsewhere on the BBC