Mourinho’s impact on individual players crucial for short-term success at Tottenham

Jose Mourinho’s first match in charge of Tottenham was a reminder that at his best he is a great man manager. He’ll need it to have any success at Spurs.

It might not have been a classic Jose Mourinho victory, but the new Tottenham manager’s knee-slide celebration, as well as more than a few moments in the 3-2 away win over West Ham, suggested that at least a spark of the Portuguese’s old flame remains.

Now, he must use it to start a fire.

Not the sort of fire that saw Mourinho leave Manchester United smouldering behind him a year ago, but the kind that will light a fuse.

There’s no denying Spurs have flickered so far this season, winning just three of their 12 league fixtures before Mauricio Pochettino’s dismissal. Even still, few believe Mourinho to be the solution to their problems. Such skepticism is justifiable given the fundamental disconnect between Spurs’ identity as a club and that of their new manager.

However, Saturday’s result and performance at the London Stadium offered a look at what Mourinho might achieve at Tottenham through a different prism. Many have focused on the bigger picture, on how the Portuguese might compromise the club’s track record in bringing through young players, on how he will possibly operate on the shoe-string budget afforded to his predecessor and whether he will sustain or break down their identity as a dynamic, attractive team on the pitch.

But what if we viewed Mourinho’s impact through the influence he has on individuals?

Looking through the Spurs squad, there are number of players who will surely benefit from Mourinho’s coaching. At his best, the Portuguese was the best man manager in the sport. His career renaissance may depend on that trait.

Harry Kane perhaps presents the best case. The 26-year-old has kept his scoring numbers respectable in spite of Tottenham’s recent struggles, but his tendency to drop deep into midfield or drift out wide has harmed his teammates. Against West Ham, though, Kane had quite clearly been instructed to play as a more orthodox front man. It resulted in a more fluid attacking display.

With Kane largely playing on the shoulder of the last defender there was space for the likes of Dele Alli to drive into. It’s no coincidence that Alli turned in his best performance in months with Kane not clogging up the areas of the pitch where he does his best work. Even Heung-Min Son, who generally avoided the toxicity and malaise of recent times, looked somewhat liberated.

Toby Alderweireld was a player Mourinho wanted while at Man United and so it’s reasonable to assume the Belgian will be made a key figure by the Portuguese. Factor in Davinson Sanchez and Jan Vertonghen and Mourinho will have the defensive basis he was always denied during his time at Old Trafford. He won’t miss Phil Jones.

Eric Dier and Danny Rose are another two who Mourinho is widely believed to be a fan of. His arrival in North London couldn’t have been timed better for the pair, such has been the depth of their recent poor form. Dier and Rose need revitalizing and Mourinho, whose teams often feature an anchoring midfielder and flying full backs, might offer them that.

Meanwhile, Tanguy Ndombele is the player Mourinho always wanted Paul Pogba to be – capable of breaking up opposition play, but also of driving the ball forward and picking a pass in the final third.

Mourinho’s appointment will result in squad casualties, that is almost inevitable, but there is a greater number of players at Spurs seemingly equipped to thrive under the new boss than might initially be perceived. Some, like Christian Eriksen, Lucas Moura, Erik Lamela and Moussa Sissoko, will likely have to change their ways to satisfy Mourinho, but Tottenham’s squad should facilitate him in the short term. There should be something of a bounce between now and the end of the season. Spurs might even still make the top four.

The long term (or even medium term) is where Mourinho’s individual improvement might run its course. There will come a time when the Portuguese will be expected to impose a greater identity on his team. He failed to do this at Manchester United and there will be challenges in doing this at Spurs. But for the time being Mourinho’s impact should be measured by the individual.