Jose Mourinho never gave me proper chance to prove myself, confesses Danny Rose
On loan Tottenham full-back Danny Rose insisted that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho never gave him the same chance as the others to prove himself at the club. The former Leeds United star left in January for a six-month loan spell at Newcastle United with the aim of making England’s Euro 2020 squad.
Rose was a consistent starter in Mauricio Pochettino’s team since the early 2010s but injuries and various other issues have plagued the full-back over the last few years. However, this season, despite being fit, the 29-year-old has found his playing time restricted under both former Spurs boss Pochettino and his successor in Jose Mourinho which saw Rose eventually leave for Newcastle.Â
The former Chelsea manager did use Rose in his first few weeks in charge of the club but has since opted to use Ben Davies, Japhet Tanganga and even Jan Vertonghen as left-backs. It has worked to varying degrees of success but Danny Rose went on to admit that Mourinho never handed him a proper chance to prove himself. He also added that despite reports saying otherwise, he wanted to play for and under Mourinho's tutelage.
"I do feel I wasn't given as much of a chance as everybody else in the backline. I did want to play for him. I knew after a month [of Mourinho joining] I was never going to play. It was difficult going out to train knowing I wasn't going to play. It's not worked out, but full respect to him and what he's doing at the club. He took over with the club 12 points adrift of Chelsea [now in fourth place] and now it's four. I have to be honest, I thought I would continue playing."
A knee surgery in January of 2017 has caused the most problems for Rose with the 29-year-old missing nine months of action after recovering from the injury. Things, since then, haven’t been the same for the English international and Rose admitted that he left Spurs not just because of the lack of game-time but also because he wanted to try and make Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 squad.
"I've been given a chance to play week in and week out. I want to play football again - with the Euros in the summer, I want to put myself in window. If I go to Newcastle and do well they may think that's what's expected of me.” But if I don't do well then they might think Tottenham were right to let me go. I have a lot riding on this, but I'm confident in my ability and I know I will do well," he added.