Jose Mourinho takes major step towards winning first trophy at Tottenham Hotspur by reaching Carabao Cup final
It’s been over a decade since Tottenham Hotspur last won a major trophy. However, Spurs fans are beginning to dream again under Jose Mourinho.
On Tuesday, the Portuguese tactician led the north London club to the final of the Carabao Cup after beating Brentford 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Goals from Moussa Sissoko and Heung-Min Son were enough to seal the vital victory.
For all the progress that was seen under erstwhile manager Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs never really managed to win a trophy. As a result, the club’s fans have had to endure trolls from their rivals in the last decade.
Now, only one match stands between Tottenham Hotspur and a major trophy.
Mourinho had described the semi-final against the Championship outfit as the “biggest” game of his Tottenham Hotspur career. However, a far bigger game now awaits in April, with the reward being a trophy on offer.
Jose Mourinho closer to first major trophy at Tottenham Hotspur
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Jose Mourinho did not hide his desire to win the Carabao Cup. Having already won the League Cup four times, he intimated that he was taking the competition seriously.
The Portuguese is the most successful manager in the history of the competition, winning it with Chelsea (thrice) and Manchester United (once). He has also never lost in a League Cup final.
The above statistics will undoubtedly bring smiles to the faces of all Tottenham Hotspur fans, but it remains to be seen if the players can rise to the occasion in the final.
Mourinho said after the game, as quoted by Goal:
"If there is any secret, it's to take it seriously, to respect what English football is, what English clubs are, what English lower divisions are, and try to not be surprised in any of the games from smaller quality and, when you have like we had this season a game against Chelsea, to go serious and with ambition. Apart from that there is no other secret.”
The former Real Madrid boss added:
"What I sense in the team is exactly that: desire. I'm not saying winning mentality, I'm not saying we are this or that. I just say we are honest people. Since the first game against Chelsea, then Stoke, and now, the guys took it seriously.”
Tottenham Hotspur will now face either Manchester United or Manchester City in the final of the Carabao Cup in April. The two Manchester clubs will face each other in the second semi-final game on Wednesday.
Whichever club Tottenham Hotspur end up facing in the final will be a tough opponent. However, Mourinho he is doing exactly what he was hired to do and is now just a game away from winning his first trophy as Spurs manager.