Amazon Prime’s fly-on-the-wall documentary of Tottenham’s season, All or Nothing, which is out today, offering unprecedented insight into one of the most turbulent campaigns in the club’s recent history.
The first three episodes, seen by Standard Sport, cover the club’s dismal start to the new season under Mauricio Pochettino and the Argentine’s subsequent overnight replacement by Jose Mourinho.
The Portuguese predictably establishes himself as the star of the show as he bids to turn Spurs from “nice boys” into serial winners.
Here are 10 things we learned from the first three episodes of All or Nothing:
Mauricio Pochettino had no idea he was about to be sacked
There is no dramatic footage of the moment Pochettino was sacked by Daniel Levy but in episode one Harry Kane gives some insight into the brutal way Levy broke the news last November. Kane is seen eating breakfast with Jan Vertonghen the day after Pochettino’s dismissal and Vertonghen says he heard the Argentine and his staff knew it was coming. “No,” says Kane, shaking his head. “I spoke to him last night. The chairman came in and said, ‘Can I talk?’ He said, ‘You are being sacked. You need to pack your things and you leave tonight.’”
Mourinho made an early powerplay to get Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Eric Dier onside
In his first few days in the Spurs job, Mourinho called England stars Kane, Alli and Dier into his office for one-on-one talks. He told Kane he can help build his profile worldwide and make him “universal”. Kane responded by saying: “That is my aim. I want to be Ronaldo and Messi.” Then, speaking in Portuguese, Mourinho tells Dier he has a fresh start after being sidelined under Pochettino. In another meeting, he warns Alli he will live to regret it if he doesn’t reach his potential. “Yesterday I was 20,” says Mourinho. “And today I am 56. Time flies. I think one day I think you will regret if you do not reach what you can reach.”
Daniel Levy’s has a surprisingly hands-on approach
The Tottenham chairman – who described sacking Pochettino as his “most emotional” decision – is a supporting character, with Mourinho the real star. But what we do see of Levy is revealing. The chairman, who seems almost in awe of Mourinho, is surprisingly involved in the day-to-day at the club. He is part of Mourinho’s briefing by Tottenham’s head of communications before the new boss faces the media for the first time and, at one point, Mourinho even runs a selection decision past his boss, telling him he is going to drop Harry Winks for Eric Dier. Levy nods in agreement at his new manager’s reasoning.
Mourinho accuses Dele of being a poor trainer
Mourinho’s appointment had a energising effect on Dele, who continued his upturn in form with four goals and three assists in the Portuguese’s first five games in charge. But privately, Mourinho was fiercely critical of his standards in training, accusing him on his very first day of being, “F****** lazy” and joking with the 24-year-old that he is going to be a “pain in the a***” for him. Later, in a meeting with Levy, Mourinho says: “I told already Dele very directly that he doesn’t train well, he is not a good trainer,” and tells the chairman they need to “find motivation” for the midfielder. Continue reading