Jose Mourinho believes that the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium can become a fortress when fans are finally allowed back inside the venue.
Tottenham are unbeaten at home since the restart, having won all of their matches apart from their opening clash against Manchester United, where a late penalty saw the former Premier League champions come away with a draw.
Thee Spurs boss insisted it was impossible to make the venue a fortress without the fans.
He told Sky Sports: “I think so (that Spurs can make their stadium a fortress) but we need to do it with the fans.
“Without them you can create a kind of fortress, but based on the tactical side of the game.
“But, I think with fans, you can do it in a much stronger way because you add the emotional side of the game that only your fans in your stadium can give to you.”
Mourinho has prided himself on a great home record at the various clubs he has managed in his career and one of his records is currently under threat.
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Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have now gone 59 games unbeaten at home and they now have Mourinho’s 77-game unbeaten record with Chelsea (over two spells) in their sight.
“I think the Premier League is getting into a direction where these unbeaten records are something more and more difficult to achieve because of the level of the teams,” he added.
“But to be strong at home and to arrive at the end of each season with an important number of points in your pocket from home matches is very important.
“I think our recent results at home without the fans are important, but we need them back. I can imagine that victory against Arsenal with the stadium full of Tottenham fans. This is the kind of empathy that you can create step by step.”
The 57-year-old also claimed that a shortened break for sides like Manchester United, Manchester United and Wolves, who are still involved in European competition, was not be a disadvantage ahead of next season.
He fumed at the fact that there is an international break scheduled before the Premier League season kicks off.
Mourinho added: “If they are going to get a few days [holiday] and then go again immediately, probably they have better conditions to start the season stronger than people with holiday and a pre-season that is not going to be a pre-season.
“Because between the second and third week of pre-season there are international fixtures, so I cannot consider it a pre-season for me. I’m going to have the players for ten days or so, then they go to their national team and then come back the week of Premier League day one.
“So I don’t know who has the advantage. Teams that keep playing or teams that have a break. I really don’t know.
“It goes against every training methodology to have this little pre-season interrupted by players going to their national teams. But honestly, it has to be done and I accept it.
“It’s a strange feeling for everyone who works in the different FAs. They don’t work for many months. They don’t have a match to play for many months. They don’t touch their players.
“So what we felt with Covid-19 [compared to] what we are feeling now, they didn’t have what we have now. When was their last match? So, they need to work.
“They have lots of people who work in the federations. They need income. They need to play. So, I have to say it’s difficult for me as a club coach, but I have to accept and understand.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Our performances and results at home have been extremely encouraging since the restart. I believe that not having fans at the stadium has helped the team as they have been able to play counter-attacking football, with a lack of pressure from a demanding home crowd. As good as our home form has been, our away form needs considerable improvement if we want to keep pace with the top sides next campaign.
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