Spurs: Sherwood warns Mourinho will throw players under bus
Jose Mourinho confidant Eladio Parames has lambasted Tim Sherwood for criticism of the new Tottenham manager. Sherwood warned Spurs players that Mourinho would “throw them under a bus” following his substitution of Eric Dier in the 29th minute of Tottenham’s penultimate Champions League group game in midweek.
Dier was pulled at 2-0 down in order to bring on Christian Eriksen, with the change in tack seeing Spurs run out 4-2 victors, securing their spot in the competition’s knockout stage.
Despite the result, former Tottenham manager Sherwood criticised Mourinho’s early change.
“They have got to get used to it the players,” Sherwood told beIN SPORTS. “They have got to get used to the dynamics of this type of manager.
“They have had [Mauricio] Pochettino for five years. Now even when they weren’t playing well, he would protect them, publicly.
Tim Sherwood labelled ‘pathetic’ for attack on Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho (Image: Getty)
“Jose will throw you under a bus. I am not saying it is right or whether it is wrong. Jose Mourinho does not care.
“He does what he thinks is right, for the team, not the individual player. So if it means digging a player out in public and using him as an example, he will do that.
“Because he feels that is the best way to win trophies. Why would you change it?”
Sherwood’s words angered Parames, close friend and long-term advisor of Mourinho.
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“The pathetic statements of some commentators are very annoying to me,” Parames said in a column for Portuguese newspaper Record.
“And they annoy me even more when they are spoken by people who, due to their sporting past, should have the good sense not to say such nonsense, especially in the media that reaches millions of people.
“At the end of the match, in his first comment about the game, Mourinho made a point of apologising to Dier for his departure and explained the reasons that led him to make that decision.
“He did well, because he didn't have to, and everyone understood the reasons for the change.
Eric Dier was subbed by Jose Mourinho 29 minutes into Tottenham's win over Olympiakos (Image: Getty)
“Not quite everyone, because Sherwood, who was commenting on the game for a TV channel, didn't hear the coach's words or didn't want to hear them, or maybe didn't understand them.
"His 'brilliant' coaching career leads me to admit to being the latter the most likely hypothesis.
“And instead of highlighting the tactical change that allowed the turnaround in the game he chose to attack Mourinho.
“What's more, selflessly, he even warned Spurs players with such shots as ‘he will have no trouble throwing them under a bus’ or ‘if he has to bury a player in public, he will’.”
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Mourinho has seemingly given Dier a new lease of life in north London, starting him in all three games since taking over.
The England international had become a maligned player under Pochettino this season with Winks preferred in the holding midfield role.
The pair have been playing in a two-man pivot under Mourinho, though, which has yielded positive results thus far.
“We are doing well, three wins in a row and we’re happy were we are,” Dier told BBC Sport after Saturday’s win over Bourmemouth.
“I have been feeling good for a while and I am very happy to have played in recent games.”
