Pundit hints at behind the scenes clash between Mourinho and player

Former Leeds United defender Danny Mills has suggested that Tottenham head coach Jose Mourinho has had a falling out with midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.

The French international, who moved to Spurs for a club-record fee from Lyon in the summer, has struggled to get a consistent run in the side since his arrival, partly due to injury problems.

Mourinho has previously publically aimed a dig at the midfielder when he claimed Ndombele was not injured and did not want to take to the field against Brighton on Boxing Day. (Metro).

Although Spurs have confirmed that the 23-year-old has recovered fully from his injury troubles and is training with the first team, he has not played a minute of football in Tottenham’s last two fixtures against Watford and Southampton despite being named on the bench.

Mills believes that the Spurs boss’ words and actions clearly indicate that all is not well between the pair.

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills said, “There’s clearly a clash of some kind or something’s happened behind the scenes for Mourinho to do the things he’s done and say the things he’s said already.

“A manager doesn’t go in day one and say: ‘Alright, you’re out.’ It doesn’t happen like that. Managers need players, they know that. Managers will give players the opportunity, they will ask them do something, if they don’t do it they will ask them again.

“If they ask them again after that then they start to get a little bit annoyed. Once they start to get annoyed, they’re like: ‘Come on, how many times have I got to tell you?’ Sometimes it’s like dealing with children.

“Players need to take responsibility for their own actions and own attitude at times and it’s too easy sometimes to blame the manager.”

Meanwhile, Ndombele has insisted that there are no problems in his relationship with Mourinho despite the Portuguese tactician’s harsh words about his fitness (TF1).

Spurs Web Opinion

Although it might not always seem like it, there is usually a method to Mourinho’s madness. His decision to publically call out Ndombele suggests that perhaps he has decided that the midfielder needs a kick up the backside to get his head right. Ndomebele seems to be a rather laid back character and perhaps he needs the treatment Mourinho is giving him in order to buckle down and focus on his football.

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