Jose Mourinho’s first home game as a Spurs manager will see the team take on Olympiacos in the Champions League.
Three points in the game will ensure that Tottenham seal qualification to the knockout phase of the competition.
Ahead of the game, the new Spurs boss has spoken about his experiences of coming to White Hart Lane and what he liked about Spurs fans.
The 56-year-old revealed that he had always envied the passionate support Tottenham had whenever he came to the stadium as an opponent. He also delved into his experiences of sampling the atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.
Speaking to Football.London, Mourinho said, “I played there (at White Hart Lane) many times, obviously as an opponent. I did it with three different clubs, I did it also in the Champions League. I won, I lost, I drew, I always loved it.
“There are a few stadiums where you always enjoy the atmosphere, you always envy the support that your opponent, in this case has, and many times I played there I felt envy of such a strong and passionate support.
“I can imagine, also because I’ve been in the new stadium as a football lover, for Spurs vs Newcastle, and I felt it and the game was not good for us.
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“It was a bad result, but I felt the relationship between the fans and the team, and the pride for that new home because in the end you always miss your old home but if you change for better or for much better you don’t change it so much and you embrace your new home so I think that’s what happened with the fans.
“I think they love the team, love the club, love the stadium and I believe that tomorrow can be the restart of that empathy between the supporters and the team.
“An empathy that with bad results you lose a little bit so let’s hope tomorrow can be the start of that empathy coming back with the players’ happiness and good feeling to play at home and to feel the supporters are playing with them and make them stronger.
“Hopefully tomorrow is a good start. We play two matches at home in three days, if you can make it good win matches, play well, score goals, showing commitment, happiness, desire, I think will be a good period for us to go back to that empathy between the players and the fans.”
The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss also explained why he didn’t go over to the travelling fans at the London Stadium on Saturday. He explained that he wanted the players to take the credit for the display.
When asked how it felt to hear Tottenham fans sing his name, the new Spurs manager said, “I didn’t go there because I felt I shouldn’t. I felt I wanted the players to be the guys, and they are the guys so I didn’t want to go where the fans were.
“I just wave from the outside. Obviously is a good feeling. I want obviously to thank, but obviously again it is about the players and not me so if I could choose between another Jose song and players songs and spurs songs I would obviously go in that direction. It is not about me.
“I am like them, I am outside the pitch. They want to help the team to win and they do it with their heart. I want to help the team to win with my passion and also with my knowledge and experience, but everything is about the players. So I hope that they do that.
“I hope they make the players feel they are with them, they want to win, and as I was saying three important days for us with two matches that we should win so hopefully it goes well.”
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Hopefully, Tottenham fans will give him a good reception in his home debut. While some fans are still disappointed with Pochettino’s sacking, it is fair to say that the vast majority are now excited about the new Mourinho era. So the atmosphere at the ground should be better than it has been in recent home matches.
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