Jose Mourinho's impossible task at Tottenham could make or break his managerial legacy

Tottenham are in a pickle. They sacked possibly the best manager they’ve ever had in modern history and one of the club’s best in their iconic history. However, it wasn’t done instinctively because that would have seen Mauricio Pochettino lose his job about two months before he actually lost it but nevertheless, the move took place. The transition, however, was far smoother than anyone expected even smoother than their fellow North London rivals managed a month later.

For smaller clubs, it is a death sentence but for a club like Tottenham, they should be fine. But they won’t because of the emptiness that their multi-purpose stadium will have. This was supposed to be the plan to beat or rather overcome Manchester United’s marketing reach or Manchester City’s super spending owner. A multi-purpose stadium that would help generate revenue beyond their wildest dreams, a stage in North London with concerts, NFL games and even a title fight between Anthony Joshua and Kubrat Pulev all being hosted there.

And there is where the problem arises, because make no mistake this Tottenham team needs reinforcements. Michel Vorm and Jan Vertonghen’s current deals expire at the end of this season, Eric Dier, Oliver Skip contracts and Gedson Fernandes’ loan spell expire at the end of next season. Hugo Lloris, Eric Lamela, Serge Aurier, Juan Foyth and a few others expire at the end of 2022 but more importantly, barring four players listed here, the rest are all squad or rotational players. So effectively, Tottenham need a new center-back, a reliable full-back, a holding midfielder that is not Eric Dier and maybe, if they have some money left over, a back-up for Harry Kane.

Because this is not a dead Tottenham team that needs complete culling before they move onto the next side. This is a Champions League runner-up but neglect and a lack of investment has seen them lose faith in themselves. Bringing them back to normal will be a massive challenge but possibly Mourinho’s greatest challenge will be keeping Harry Kane at the team. This will be his biggest problem and barrier but if by some hook or crook Mourinho manages to keep Kane at the club, then half his job is done. Cause for all intents and purposes, Harry Kane is their man.

He is their corner-stone, their true blue superstar but he is also the same man who said “I love Spurs, I'll always love Spurs but I've always said if I don't feel we're progressing as a team or going in the right direction, I'm not someone to stay there for the sake of it. I'm an ambitious player, I want to improve, get better and become one of the top, top players. It all depends on what happens as a team and how we progress as a team. So it's not a definite I'm going to stay there forever but it's not a no either."

Within the ashes of that, is where the new Mourinho must rise up and show these young managers how it is done. It’s the third act of a managerial career that many wondered had any juice left especially after his last three gigs across Europe. The early signs, however, at Tottenham is that the old Mourinho is back and that cannot happen not if he ever wants his legacy to mean more than it currently does. This is his chance and for someone who has lived and died at the hands of spending money, only Pep Guardiola has spent more according to Transfermarkt, this could be a legacy maker.

It’s the situation that not a lot of managers would ask for but it’s the situation that history almost always remembers how someone reacted to it. Donald Trump calling the coronavirus the Chinese virus is never going to be forgotten, the same way the impact that footballers have had on social matters. The question that Mourinho needs to answer, is he more than just an occasionally charming man whose teams can beat the best when at their best but lose to the worst when at their worst.