Add as preferred source on Google

Ex-Tottenham defender Michael Dawson has acknowledged that his former side have taken a “backwards step” in the last year, but believes they now need to give current manager Jose Mourinho time to turn it around.

Spurs ended the 2018/19 campaign by losing to Liverpool in a Champions League final and appearing to establish themselves as a real elite side, but 12 months on they find themselves in an entirely different position.

The North London club dismissed popular manager Mauricio Pochettino mid-way through the 2019/20 season due to some poor form and Mourinho at least managed to guide the team to a sixth-placed Premier League finish.

Spurs now know they will begin the new league campaign in September with a home fixture against Everton and supporters will hope they can force their way back into the top four.

Dawson has stressed that proven manager Mourinho will need time to implement his winning mentality on the group and has highlighted the previous success in his career.

“Yes it’s been a backwards step over the last 12 months. However, give Jose time,” Dawson told the Last Word On Spurs podcast.

“His record speaks for itself, he will win trophies. He’s won trophies wherever he’s been sometimes its in a different way and different to the free-flowing that Mauricio [Pochettino] had. Look they’ve got some unbelievable players.”

TBR’s View:

Despite the disappointment of Pochettino leaving Spurs, his replacement Mourinho is a serial winner that is one of the most high-profile managers in world football and may be the man to guide the club to a first trophy since the League Cup in 2008.

They are not going to play the same expansive brand of football anymore, but they’ve got a forward line that is still extremely dangerous and most importantly Mourinho will make them much tougher to beat at the back.

There were signs in the second half of the season of improvement and securing European football for the upcoming 2020/21 campaign was crucial, so they are certainly a team that could go under the radar.