MOURINHO’S ‘SURPRISING ’ SEVEN-WORD SPURS MESSAGE TO NDOMBELE

Jose Mourinho implored Tanguy Ndombele to go jogging with him soon after the Spurs midfielder had completed a morning fitness session. Mourinho responded to criticism earlier this week after it emerged he coaxed some Spurs players into breaking social isolation rules for an impromptu training session.

 Spurs themselves were disappointed with the manager’s actions and sought to ‘reinforce’ the quarantine period during a global pandemic.  French newspaper L’Equipe offered more information on the matter at the weekend. 

They say that Ndombele had only just completed a physical session on Tuesday morning when his intercom rang, with Mourinho at the other end. The Portuguese is said to have told the midfielder to “come down, we’re going for a jog”.

 Ndombele found the message ‘surprising’ considering the government stance on leaving the house only once a day for essential reasons, which do not stretch to a run on Hadley Common with someone you don’t live with, shortly after having already exercised. 

 L’Equipe describe the situation as ‘improbable at best’, considering Mourinho’s thus far tumultuous relationship with the club-record signing. Ndombele was shamed but not named after a draw with Burnley last month, while Mourinho also attracted the ire of the rest of his Spurs squad after more public criticism of the Frenchman in February.