07 January,2021 11:51 AM IST | London | AFP
Tottenham Hotspur`s Son Heung-min celebrates scoring against Brentford in the League Cup semi-final on Tuesday. Pic/Getty Images
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho - one win away from a fifth League Cup win in his career - says the recipe for his success is respect for the competition. Mourinho, 57, could deliver Spurs' first piece of silverware since 2008 if they win the final in April at Wembley.
Mourinho became just the third manager to reach the final with three different clubs following the late Ron Saunders and Ron Atkinson after Spurs beat spirited Championship side Brentford 2-0 on Tuesday. They will play the winners of Wednesday's semi-final between holders Manchester City and Manchester United, with whom Mourinho won the trophy in 2017.
Jose Mourinho
Mourinho's first taste of success in English football came when Chelsea won the 2005 League Cup. "I came to England in 2004 and I remember that in that period I had to learn the meaning of the cups here and I always took it seriously. If there is any secret, it's to take it seriously," he said.
ALSO READ
Man United to play at José Mourinho-coached Fenerbahce in new Europa League format
Mourinho's Fenerbahce fails to reach revamped Champions League after elimination
Mourinho sacked by Roma; De Rossi is new manager
Sevilla soar to seventh heaven after getting better of Mourinho's Roma
Sevilla, Mourinho put perfect European records in place for Europa League final
Mourinho has fielded strong sides in the League Cup this season even though many managers see it as a distraction from other challenges and put out weakened teams. The Portuguese said it was important "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".
"When you have, like we had this season, a game against Chelsea [in the fourth round], [you have] to go seriously and with ambition," he said. "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. The guys since the first game against Chelsea, then Stoke, and now the guys took it seriously." Mourinho said he was approaching Sunday's FA Cup third-round clash away at eighth-tier Marine in the same way.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
