Dear José Mourinho,

Congratulations…
This looks like a better test and challenge. Pochettino didn’t lose this one. He is going to another club you wanted before you settled for Tottenham.

It’s a decent pick for you. Knowing this team got to the last UCL final. Knowing they have a new stadium. Knowing they can now focus on buying big players. Since the stadium project is done. And money has been raised.

It’s a decent pick, knowing they are already a top 4 mentality squad. Team Tottenham is a fighting team. Pochettino ensured the side is stubborn and a pressing force. You will change some players. I think you will buy a Nigerian player. I see you demanding for Wilfred Ndidi.

In the letter to Pochettino I noted they will never find a better manager. In many sense, I am right about that. You are the best they got. But history already tells us what they can expect in you. They can’t have the consistency they had in their former Argentine manager. But they will have a trophy before you quit. Yes, you are a quitter, you are also a winner.

You have a contract that will last until the 2022-23 season. That’s enough time for you to win at least one trophy. Of all the 4 local trophies, at least one is sure. Tottenham is making a decisive adjustment to their goals. And with Arsenal, their city rivals, unsure and inconsistent, they are ready to take their chances and opportunities.

You said, “the quality in both the squad and the academy excites you,” that it was working with the players that attracted you.”

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy took a risk with you though. One, you are 56 years old. You are not getting younger. History has shown us that great managers start to lose their spark as they become old. They become tactically stubborn for good or bad.

Two, you have been out of job since being sacked as Manchester United manager in December 2018. You spent your time in the game though. Although as a pundit.

But the Mourinho I know is a fighter and a philosophical beast. I am sure you are ready to shine again. But the competition is stiff. There are great managers in the EPL and their mandates are competitively challenging. Klopp wants to give Liverpool all the EPL titles they have missed for the long while. Pep wants to continually win everything for City until they become more glorious than their neighbors. Leicester City has a great coach.

It’s good to have you back. In a way, I am sure football is happy you are back to coaching. The worst that can happen is for you not to win anything with Spurs. But considering Pochettino didn’t win anything too in his many years with them. That eases the pressure, unlike Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona.

At some point Barca fans, some of them thought about having you. Since you applied for the job far back in the days and losing it to Pep, you never went back to Barca again! Why?

Is that a rhetorical question? I think it is. But if the answer is Tiki Taka then I don’t think it’s a good answer. Because Ernesto Valverde is not a Tiki Taka apostle. That dude, as coach of Barca, has gone for the kind of players you would go for — anti-Barca players.

So…if Barca would settle for a Mourinho-like manager, why not the Mourinho himself? But anyway, core Barca fans would always settle for a Pep-like manager. That is why they hope Pochettino would accept the Barca challenge. At least before Xavi is ready.

Meanwhile, Tottenham is 14 on the table. Good luck.

Your Stubborn spotter,
Ediale
#ForTheCulture
#EdialeWritesFootball

PS: All the best managers are in EPL. Yet the best footballer in the world is in Spain. Is it time for the GOAT to go to the EPL?