It feels like Tottenham are one defeat away from a full-blown crisis following back-to-back losses against Arsenal and Dinamo Zagreb.
Jose Mourinho’s side were beaten 2-1 in last weekend’s north London derby and then suffered an embarrassing 3-0 defeat in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Spurs led 2-0 on aggregate heading into the last-16 second-leg tie but capitulated in Croatia.
Hugo Lloris slammed his teammates during an eye-opening post-match interview, while Mourinho was also scathing of his players’ attitude.
“It was one of the most difficult nights of my career. I don’t know if it’s the most difficult one,” the under-fire Spurs boss is quoted as saying by The Sun. “I’ve had in Europe moments of big pain but pain caused by what football is.
“I lost two Champions League semi-finals on penalties. It hurts you. Maybe still bleeding.
“But the passion for football, the respect for your job is something that hurts me deeply.”
Mourinho then went on to suggest that he believes some footballers don’t feel the pain of defeat as much as he does because they only play for money.
“And today I have this very bad feeling,” he added. “This very bad feeling because maybe for some people in football, football is a job or a way to make money.
“For me, it’s much more than that. That’s what I never lose — the basics of football, which is the passion, the heart, the desire.”
Tottenham squad's 2020-21 wages
Following Mourinho’s accusation that some players only view football as a job, The Sun have published the wages of every member of the current Spurs squad.
Let’s take a closer look…
Alfie Whiteman | Wage: £4,000-a-week
Joe Rodon | Wage: £10,000-a-week
Japhet Tanganga | Wage: £23,000-a-week
Sergio Reguilon | Wage: £48,000-a-week
Harry Winks | Wage: £50,000-a-week
Joe Hart | Wage: £52,000-a-week
Danny Rose | Wage: £60,000-a-week
Ben Davies | Wage: £60,000-a-week
Davinson Sanchez | Wage: £65,000-a-week
Matt Doherty | Wage: £65,000-a-week
Giovani Lo Celso | Wage: £70,000-a-week
Serge Aurier | Wage: £70,000-a-week
Eric Dier | Wage: £72,000-a-week
Steven Bergwijn | Wage: £73,000-a-week
Moussa Sissoko | Wage: £80,000-a-week
Lucas Moura | Wage: £80,000-a-week
Erik Lamela | Wage: £80,000-a-week
Toby Alderweireld | Wage: £80,000-a-week
Hugo Lloris | Wage: £100,000-a-week
Dele Alli | Wage: £100,000-a-week
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg | Wage: £102,000-a-week
Son Heung-min | Wage: £140,000-a-week
Tanguy Ndombele | Wage: £160,000-a-week
Harry Kane | Wage: £200,000-a-week
Gareth Bale | Wage: £650,000-a-week (£325,000 paid by Real Madrid)
Let’s be honest: there are quite a few players on that list who are failing to justify those hefty wage packets.
Dele on £100,000-a-week, Lucas on £80,000-a-week, Bergwijn on £73,000-a-week… and so on.
It goes without saying that Bale’s wages are ludicrous. The Welshman has performed better of late but you expect world-class displays for that money.
On the other hand, Kane is more than justifying his £200,000-a-week wages.
Where on earth would Spurs be without their talismanic captain?