Middlesbrough manager and former Spurs centre-half Jonathan Woodgate has backed Tottenham to pick up silverware under Jose Mourinho.
Woodgate welcomes his former side to the Riverside Stadium for a third-round FA Cup fixture on Sunday and ahead of the game, he spoke of his surprise at Spurs’ lack of silverware in recent years.
The defender was part of the last Spurs team to win a trophy when his extra-time header helped Spurs to a 2-1 win over Chelsea in the League Cup final in 2008.
That was the only major trophy that the 39-year-old won as a player during his time in English football.
Recalling that historic night at Wembley, the Boro manager told the Daily Mail: “Jermaine Jenas was lining up a free-kick and I just thought I’d get a run on Drogba. I was brave, stuck my head in there, and it went in, lucky really. It was the best goal I’ve ever scored with my nose!
“As a kid, you always dream about playing in cup finals, so it was a dream come true really, and all my family were there. I can’t remember the celebrations that night mind, it’s all a bit of a blur!
“But that was the only thing I won, which is obviously something you look back on with a bit of regret, especially with the teams I played in. We had that spell at Leeds, and we had a good team at Newcastle, but you can’t say a team is great unless you win trophies.”
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The former England defender backed new Spurs boss Jose Mourinho to change the club’s fortunes and guide them to silverware given his stellar record of winning trophies at every club he’s been at.
Woodgate added, “I thought they would have won something under Mauricio Pochettino, I thought he did an amazing job, especially with the budget he had. But I’m sure that (silverware) is on the horizon now with Jose Mourinho because he’s a serial winner.”
Spurs Web Opinion
I really enjoyed watching Woody play for Spurs during his brief spell as not only did he have the talent to pocket the best strikers in the world but he was also a leader on the pitch and a great character. If not for his injury problems, he would have had over a hundred and fifty appearances for Spurs.
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