Mourinho sets difficult Tottenham targets as he marks 20 years in management

Jose Mourinho has set Tottenham difficult targets for the new season as he hopes to foster an ambitious mentality within his squad.

The Spurs boss will bid to mark 20 years as a manager with victory at home to Everton in his side’s Premier League opener on Sunday.

After helping Tottenham to finish sixth having replaced Mauricio Pochettino last November, Mourinho stressed he saw this as a big campaign for the club, rather than himself.

He told Sky Sports: “It is [a big season] for Tottenham. Not for me. In this moment I feel myself as a club man.

“I am in a state of my career where I am not worried about trying to show something or prove to anyone.

“So, for me I would say it is a very important season for Tottenham, and I want to be important in that season by helping to reach important things.

“Our ambition is to win every match. Our target is to go to every match, thinking and feeling that we go to win. It doesn’t matter the competition, the opponent, I want Tottenham to have this level of confidence.

“We are going to lose some, we are going to draw some too, but I want to have this feeling that it doesn’t matter who the opponent is.

“I want Tottenham to go to try to win, not just trying to win, but feeling like they can too.

“It is good to be nice lads, but it is good also to have that competitive mentality, that aggression and ambition that you need.

“I was never afraid to establish with my boys some difficult targets, and not be afraid of going for it.”

It’s our time. Our 2020/21 @premierleague season begins today! @hotelsdotcom #COYS pic.twitter.com/EXUWH20P6i

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 13, 2020

Now aged 57, it is two decades since Mourinho took his first head coaching job in charge of Benfica.

“I am the same in my DNA, my principles, I’m the same man,” said Mourinho as he reflected on that milestone.

“But obviously a big evolution in terms of coaching, in terms of managing players and football teams, and the evolution of everything related to the game.

“But I am the same guy. Of course, the colour of my hair is different, and some wrinkles! But I’m the same guy, the same principles, the same passion, nothing at all has changed.

“I love everything related to my job. The only thing I don’t enjoy is to lose – I hate to lose. But I know very well that it is part of our job.

“Everything related to my job is something I love, that’s why I don’t see myself doing another thing in my life.

“In football I just love everything. If you ask me about everything related to the job, there is nothing I don’t enjoy. Even the problems, the difficulties, are things I enjoy. So, the challenge is to be happy, happy, happy, happy!”