Jose's five-point preview - Everton

Jose Mourinho's five-point preview is back for 2020/21! First up, our Premier League opener against Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday (4.30pm).

Don't forget to tune into N17 Live from 3.45pm on Sunday!

1 - Adrenaline, emotion...

At the top level of the game since taking over at Benfica in 2000, this is the first time we can ask Jose, as Head Coach of Spurs, how he feels going into the start of a season...

Jose: "I feel really happy to start what I used to call real football. We’ll miss the fans, but real football means playing for points, and to feel that adrenaline back, that emotion. I’m always happy before the first game of the season, but I don’t think even experience helps and can change the fact that you have that little anxiety before the first match of the season."

2 - Still...

We pointed out it was great to see that Jose, who has won the lot, still had that emotion before the start of a season...

Jose: "I don't even like you to say 'still' because that will be forever. Nothing changes. I look very much forward to the season as a whole. Obviously, we have a start that will be a unique experience for me, because after 20 years of football at the highest level, I’ve never experienced playing Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday. Incredible. That’s another challenge for everyone to cope with that."

3 - Optismism...

We won five, drew three and lost just one game on the return of football after lockdown last season, so with new faces to bolster the squad, does Jose feel a sense of optimism around the Club?

Jose: "Yes, I feel that. I felt a little empty because the internationals broke that dynamic we implemented from day one. I don’t blame national teams, it’s just a fact that they have to play their competitions, but before the season starts and with such a strange pre-season, that week, 10 days that the players were away broke that dynamic. But they all came back without injuries, which is a positive."

4 - Everton

The arrivals of Allan (Napoli), Abdoulaye Doucoure (Watford) and James Rodriguez (Real Madrid) has given the blue half of Merseyside a lift - what does Jose expect from Everton on Sunday?

Jose: "I’m a good friend of Carlo (Ancelotti, manager), but it’s not because of that I say he’s a fantastic coach. I’ve many friends in football, but not all of them are fantastic coaches, and Carlo is. They had, of course, a good squad already and this season they have gone very strong. Carlo knew what he wanted, they gave him players that were already his players in previous clubs and players who are good players for every club, not just Everton. The club is strong, they have big ambitions, they are a club capable of being our rivals and fighting for the same targets we will."

5 - A message...

Unfortunately, we will still be missing fans for this opening fixture - Jose has this message for all our supporters...

Jose: "My message is one of empathy. If I was a fan in love with my club, with the best stadium in the world, with a big desire to come back to the stadium to support my team, I would feel very much frustrated. In the end, I feel privileged, because I can be there, and my first words are for all of you who would love to be there and can’t be there. We are, of course, very much committed with our jobs, very much committed with our Club, and at the same time, our Club means all of you. I have to make sure the boys express that respect towards you and every time we put one foot in our stadium, or any stadium, wearing a Tottenham shirt, I have to make sure the players are going to give everything for you."