Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Rich Jones

Full transcript as Jose Mourinho speaks as Tottenham manager for the first time

Jose Mourinho has spoken for the first time since being named Tottenham's new manager.

Mourinho, sacked by Manchester United last December, has sealed a return to management after being unveiled as Maurico Pochettino's successor.

Pochettino departed the north London club on Tuesday night with the club wasting no time in installing Mourinho as the man tasked with turning things around.

He spoke to Spurs TV on Wednesday evening, outlining his reasoning behind taking the job and his ambitions moving forwards.

Here's the full transcript from Mourinho's first interview since securing a dramatic return to the dugout.

On his promise

"I couldn't be happier and if I was not as happy as I am, I wouldn't be here.

"What can I promise? Passion - for my job but also passion for my club.

"It's a privilege when a manager goes to a club and feels that happiness in relation to the squad that he's going to have.

"These are not words of the moment. They are not words of me being the Tottenham Head Coach.

"These are words that I've been told and I've repeated in the last three, four, five years even as an opponent.

Jose Mourinho was unveiled on Wednesday morning (Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I)

On impressions of Tottenham

"To play against Tottenham at White Hart Lane was always hard but beautiful.

"It was one of these places where I used to go with passion but also with respect.

"I always told about the Club's potential. I always told about the qualities of the players.

"I always told the magnificent work the Club was doing.

On Academy

"I really like this squad and looking to the young players there is not one manager in the world that doesn't like to play young players and to help young players develop.

"There is not one. The problem is that sometimes you get into clubs where the work that is below you is not good enough to produce these players so I look to our history and you see that the Academy is always giving the talents that the first team need.

"I look forward to work with that profile.

Mourinho was on the Spurs training ground for the first time on Wednesday (Twitter@SpursOfficial)

On Facilities

"When you say beautiful stadium you are too humble. You have to say the best stadium in the world.

"I think that is the reality. The training ground is second to none. It probably can only be compared with some American Football training grounds.

"You cannot compare with European football at any level - and I've been in the majority of the best places.

"It's impossible to compare anything the same as the stadium. i think it's something that has to make us all very, very proud.

Mourinho will be back in the dugout after replacing Mauricio Pochettino (REUTERS)

"But not just that, the conditions you have to work in are absolutely amazing."

On what they must do in Premier League

"In relation to the Premier League we know where we are and we know that we don't belong there.

We should just play match after match, the next match we want to win and that's the same about the next, and the next, and the next until the last.

"At the end of the season we will see where we are but i know we are going to be in a different position to where we are now.

"I look forward to the challenge, to the responsibility to bring happiness to everyone that loves the club."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.