TOTTENHAM players were told to play for a draw and waste time during their season closer with Crystal Palace, says Andros Townsend.
The Eagles winger, who used to play for Spurs, recalled how results elsewhere had a huge bearing on the visitors’ tactics at Selhurst Park.
And the miserly tactics played out by Mourinho’s men certainly chime with the ecstatic scenes of the coach and his staff at the final whistle.
A 1-1 draw at Palace, coupled with Wolves’ loss at Chelsea, meant Europa League football was guaranteed for the North London club.
Townsend told talkSPORT: “We were obviously playing Tottenham and they only needed a point to finish in sixth, and you could tell the Spurs bench knew.
“Jose Mourinho was getting messages onto the pitch that they only needed a draw, and in the last ten minutes they were literally taking the ball into the corner.”
Mourinho, 57, replaced Mauricio Pochettino as Tottenham boss in November with the side 14th in the Premier League table.
However, despite often negative tactics and a poor performance in cup competitions, Spurs have the fourth-best record in the division since Mourinho’s arrival.
And Townsend believes the Portuguese coach does not deserve bad press.
The winger noted: “I saw a stat that since Jose Mourinho took over, Spurs are fourth in the table on form.
“So it’s crazy how the media can create a narrative and have people believing that a manager is being unsuccessful when the stats prove that is not the case.
“Mourinho is judged on wins, he’s always been judged by wins, his style of play has never been amazing but he’s won titles.
“So when he’s come in at Spurs and they are used to playing good football under Pochettino, when they lose the odd game it’s all ‘Mourinho is finished’.
“But when you look at the facts he’s actually had a very good season since he’s joined Spurs.”
