Berbatov claims that some members of the Spurs squad are not playing for the team

Former Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov believes the North London squad will take time to adjust to a new style of play under Jose Mourinho after five and a half years under Mauricio Pochettino.

Spurs made the controversial decision to part ways with Pochettino in November, which paved the way for the high-profile arrival of Mourinho.

Despite being one of the most successful managers in football history, the Portuguese coach came to North London with a plenty to prove after his previous two stints at Manchester United and Chelsea ended in sour fashion.

While he got off to a good start in at the Champions League finalists, the performances and results over the past couple of months have left a lot to be desired.

Mourinho has suffered injuries to key players including Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko and Heung-min Son but Berbatov believes the team’s struggles are due to their troubles transitioning from one style to another.

The Bulgarian also suggested that some members of the squad are trying to play for themselves rather than as a collective.

Speaking to the Mirror, the Bulgarian said: “Players take time to adjust to a new ­manager, ­especially when it’s one with a different style to his predecessor.

“Occasionally, I get the ­feeling that some players are not playing for the team, and that they are trying to take the glory for themselves. That can ruin scoring chances.

“When he’s back, Spurs should try to r­elease Son quicker on the counter-attack. These small details make all the difference in football.”

The 39-year-old insisted that the Spurs head coach has a talented squad to work with at the club but said he expects the Lilywhites to invest in the summer.

He added: “They have quality throughout the squad, and the players they have should do better.

“Mourinho has criticised ­Tanguy Ndombele, but he’s young and can still succeed. Steven Bergwijn started well and looks an ­exciting prospect. But I certainly ­expect ­Mourinho to spend.”

Spurs Web Opinion

There is no doubt that Jose will want to bring his own players in and there is no way he would have agreed to take over unless he had been promised funds by Daniel Levy. However, I fear that the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak might have dented our transfer plans for the summer.

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