Jose Mourinho facing unrest from Tottenham stars over old-school tactics, ‘lower-league’ training and Ndombele criticism

JOSE MOURINHO is facing growing unrest from Spurs stars dismayed by his old-school tactics and uninspiring training sessions.

Senior players believe the team has regressed under Mourinho, and that his long-ball tactics are holding them back.

There are also fears club-record buy Tanguy Ndombele may have been ‘lost’ after boss Mourinho publicly criticised the £65million midfielder’s readiness to play.

Spurs are without a Premier League win in four games and a goal in three before tonight’s home clash with bottom club Norwich.

And SunSport understands several of Mourinho’s leading players — who had initially welcomed the appointment of a manager with such a glowing CV — have grown frustrated at the Portuguese’s approach after just two months.

Training sessions are said to have an over-emphasis on long balls, flick-ons and throw-ins — regarded as being like ‘lower-league’ sessions.

Many players believe they are heading backwards after the innovative and popular Mauricio Pochettino.

Although the squad were well aware the Argentine’s standards dropped this season as he grew disillusioned following five successful years in charge. There is sympathy in the squad for Ndombele, who was twice rapped by Mourinho over the festive period.

Mourinho suggested the Frenchman was ‘not injured but not feeling in a condition to play’ when Spurs notched their last league win against Brighton on Boxing Day.

And he then claimed the record signing was ‘always injured’ after he limped out of the New Year’s Day defeat at Southampton.

Ndombele, 23, who had an exemplary fitness record at Lyon, has recovered from a hip injury and is fit to face the Canaries but the dressing-room fears his mindset has been damaged.

Mourinho, who is suffering due to Harry Kane’s long-term hamstring injury, knows there are no major funds available for new recruits this month unless Spurs sell first.

And while Mourinho is willing to aid chief Daniel Levy’s attempts to move on Christian Eriksen, among others, the manager appears to have gone ‘off-message’ by taking on an expensive new recruit.