Mourinho hits back at Merson with ‘message’ over Kane worries

Will Ford
Jose Mourinho Tottenham

Jose Mourinho has hit back at Paul Merson’s suggestion that Harry Kane won’t score as many goals in his sytem at Tottenham.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, Merson admitted that he has long had doubts about Kane under Mourinho.

“When Jose took the job I worried for Harry Kane,” Merson said. “He played under [Mauricio] Pochettino and Tottenham had a go wherever they went. There were goals, there were crosses, there were shots.


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“He’s going to be playing up front on his own and it is going to be hard work. In the end he is trying to hit 60-yard passes just to get involved in the game and that’s not Harry Kane.

“He’s not fit, he’s definitely not fit, they played virtually with 10 men, I can’t remember how many times he touched the ball in the whole game.”

What’s more, Merson said Kane could seriously consider moving on if Mourinho ends up driving him away from north London.

“I think he’ll have a serious think at the end of the season, I really do,” he added.

“I don’t see him getting 25-30 goals a season the way Jose will want to play, and he [Mourinho] won’t want to play like it was when he first got in there, 4-2s and 5-3s, no way.

“He’ll like those games last night, the 1-1s.”

And, speaking at his press conference on Monday, Mourinho addressed Merson’s comments and Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard said that the Portuguese boss ‘listed the goals/games records of Drogba, Ronaldo, Benzema, Milito & Zlatan under him’.

Mourinho finished making his point by saying: “So dear Paul, I have lots of respect for you. I think Harry Kane has no problem at all to score goals in my teams, especially when he’s fit and fresh and has routines of playing. That’s my message to somebody I have lots of respect for.”