Julian Nagelsmann’s comments about Mourinho’s tactics are interesting now, amid Tottenham links

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Julian Nagelsmann’s comments about Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho being an ‘extreme coach’ are now very interesting, after claims that he could replace the Portuguese manager.

The Telegraph say that Nagelsmann is Tottenham’s top choice to come in for Mourinho, if they part company with their current manager.

And it is fair to say that Spurs would be making a significant change in philosophy if they do go for the 33-year-old Germany manager.

“For me, Mourinho is an extreme coach with focus on results who is not very concerned with glamour on the pitch,” Nagelsmann told Goal.

“He puts the result above everything and if you get so many titles doing that, it is certainly not a wrong way.”

Nagelsmann’s own ideas put far more precedence on the style that his side plays.

“Who shaped me the most was Thomas Tuchel,” he added. “For the simple reason that he was my own trainer and the exchange was so much more intense. I can rate how he really thinks. But there are certainly great parallels to Pep Guardiola’s football idea.

“Dominance in all phases of the game – that would be the big headline for it. To put it more simply, it is about awareness that football is not just about conquering the ball, not just about possession. It is about a holistic approach and about developing solutions in all phases.”

Nagelsmann’s RB Leipzig side play some thrilling attacking football and are one of the most high-pressing sides in the European football.

Tottenham actually struggled to deal with them last season, as Leipzig knocked them out of the Champions League.

Mourinho’s Spurs side have looked far too happy to retreat at times and form a low-block this season, rather than counter-press in the same manner that many of the most successful clubs do in the modern game.

Whether Daniel Levy will actually make a move to replace Mourinho any time soon remains to be seen, though.

The Telegraph claim that next fortnight will be decisive for Tottenham’s current boss, as they face a run of winnable fixtures, which could help to turn their season around.