Roy Hodgson hails ‘quite incredible’ Spurs man who hasn’t lost ‘any of his qualities’ from years ago

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Tottenham Hotspur head coach Jose Mourinho has been praised by Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson for his “quite incredible” feat of approaching 1,000 matches at his level.

The Spurs boss is currently on 992 games, and is set to hit the milestone in May, when the North Londoners host Wolves at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Hodgson, meanwhile, has surpassed 1,000 matches in the dugout, but his future at Selhurst Park remains uncertain, the Eagles boss remaining coy on talk of a new contract.

Ahead of Palace’s Premier League trip to Everton on Monday, football.london asked Hodgson how difficult it was to manage 1,000 games like Mourinho.

“His 1000 are far more worthy than mine,” he replied.

“A lot of mine were played in leagues nowhere as difficult as the PL. Every one of those save some early ones have been at the very highest level – what he’s done is quite incredible.

“I’m happy to have the longevity, but I wouldn’t for one minute put the games I’ve had in relation to his. 1000 at his level is quite incredible.

“He can keep going as long as he likes. He’s fit, relatively young, doesn’t seem to have lost any of the qualities that we saw those years ago running up and down the touchline at Old Trafford.

“How long are you prepared to put up with the goldfish bowl, the slings and arrows that come your way. If he’s prepared to, he could manage longer than me.”

As reported by The Guardian, Mourinho’s 988th game took place against Hodgson’s Palace at the start of March, Spurs running out 4-1 winners in north London.

Spurs’ next fixture is away at Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.