Wayne Rooney blasts ‘crazy’ sacking of his former boss Jose Mourinho and admits it is ‘strange timing’ just six days before Tottenham’s Carabao Cup final showdown with Manchester City
- Wayne Rooney has criticised Tottenham for sacking manager Jose Mourinho
- Rooney says Tottenham could have waited until after the Carabao Cup final
- Derby boss Rooney played under Mourinho when he was at Manchester United
Wayne Rooney has described Tottenham‘s decision to sack Jose Mourinho less than a week before the Carabao Cup final as ‘crazy’.
Mourinho was sacked on Monday, with Tottenham, who have placed Ryan Mason in temporary charge, preparing for Sunday’s final against Manchester City.
Rooney, who played under Mourinho at Manchester United, described the Portuguese as one of the best managers in football history and expressed confidence that he will ‘bounce back’.
Wayne Rooney says that it’s ‘crazy’ that Tottenham have sacked manager Jose Mourinho
Rooney played under Mourinho at Manchester United and is confident he will bounce back
As reported by BBC Sport, Rooney said: ‘Crazy doing it before a cup final. Strange timing. Could have waited. Fantastic manager. One of the best the game has seen. I am sure he will bounce back.’
Rooney played under Mourinho at United in the 2016-17 season, during which he won the Europa League and the League Cup.
Rooney says Spurs ‘could have waited’ until after the Carabao Cup final before deciding
Having been appointed as Tottenham boss in November 2019, Mourinho oversaw a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League last season, while he leaves with the club currently in seventh place.
Tottenham were knocked out of the Europa League by Dinamo Zagreb in dramatic circumstances, while they were also beaten by Everton in the FA Cup.
Although they face Southampton in the Premier League on Wednesday, Tottenham’s focus is mainly on the Carabao Cup final, when they will have the opportunity to win their first trophy since 2008.
This is the first time as a manager in English football that Mourinho has left a club without having won a trophy.
It will be intriguing to see what the 58-year-old’s next move will be as he looks to show that he can still be a successful manager at the highest level.
RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann and Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers have both been linked with the Tottenham job.
