Mourinho: Where Next After Spurs?

There will always be a market for managers like Jose Mourinho, who can put his winning record on the table, but he is now involved in the law of diminishing returns when it comes to the stature of clubs who will want him.

The Portuguese was sacked as Spurs manager on Monday after 17 fruitless run in charge of Spurs.

However, Mourinho is still headline news and wherever he arrives will ignite hopes that the return of the charismatic “Special One” will lead to former successes being revived.

Even when he left Manchester United, where he stayed at a city centre hotel rather than establish a permanent home in the area, he could answer his critics to some extent by pointing at two trophies then a second-placed finish in the Premier League which he described as “one of his best achievements” because “people don’t know what is going on behind the scenes”.

He cannot do that after this unfulfilling, failed spell at Spurs and it is hard to see any return to the Premier League for a man who, for all the questions, has a magnificent record and has been one of the towering managerial figures of the modern era.

There are not too many truly elite clubs around Europe who would consider turning to Mourinho at present, although he could yet prove a lure for someone, so it may be that his next role could be one he has spoken about taking in the latter stages of his career, specifically coach of Portugal.

The Mourinho era in the Premier League looks to be over – and for good or bad it will be a less lively place without him.

The sudden nature of Mourinho’s sacking suggests Tottenham have a clear vision of his successor, although how swiftly the appointment is made is still under question as Ryan Mason, who has been working with the academy, took training on Monday.

The very obvious candidate is RB Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann, the 33-year-old who is regarded as one of Europe’s brightest young coaches, but the complication now may well be interest from Bayern Munich after coach Hansi Flick announced his intention to leave. Bayern may well prove a far more attractive proposition to Spurs for the German should they pursue a serious interest.

In the Premier League, Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers will surely attract attention but would he really consider walking away from the Foxes, who he is building into a formidable force?

Nuno Espirito Santo of Wolves has also been touted.

Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone continues to do a superb job but would his brand of football be any more palatable than Mourinho’s? Rafael Benitez is out of work but in many respects occupies the same territory as Mourinho.

It is a decision of huge importance for Levy and Spurs. They got it wrong with Mourinho – at a time of such turmoil in the game and stakes being so high they cannot afford to get it wrong again.