Dubai: Even as players and officials currently stand disunited on a foreseeable start to the English Premier League (EPL), Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has admitted that he is “desperate” to get on with life as usual.
Several stars from the EPL, including Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Danny Rose have gone on record with fears about resuming the season during the coronavirus crisis. Some top-flight bosses have also expressed concerns about the plan for play to start from mid-June following a League Managers Association meeting last Wednesday.
But Mourinho insisted he relished the chance to get back to work despite the challenges and risks posed by the pandemic.
“I have not asked for any delay,” Mourinho has said in a statement released by him late on Thursday.
“I want to train, and I am desperate for the Premier League to return as soon as it is safe to do so, particularly now we are seeing other leagues preparing to return to action.”
With the EPL currently on a break due to the coronavirus, Tottenham are in eighth place in the standings with 41 points after 29 matches. But they are a point clear of bitter North London rivals Arsenal, who have a match in hand.
Last month, Mourinho was forced into issuing an apology after being spotted breaking lockdown restrictions to hold a training session with midfielder Tanguy Ndombele in a public park. Then Spurs players Serge Aurier and Moussa Sissoko also had to say sorry after the pair had flouted social-distancing guidelines to train together.
Despite these incidents, Mourinho is happy with the way his squad has kept themselves fit during the lockdown. “I am extremely proud of the way my players have maintained their fitness,” the Portuguese said in his statement.
“They have shown great professionalism, passion, and dedication. We have all been working extremely hard through remote squad training sessions and isolated running now the pitches are available to use again at the training centre.
“Every player has been extremely committed in terms of their individual work and now we wait for clearance to commence working in small groups again, which I will fully support.”
