Tottenham boss Ryan Mason wants players’ mentality right for ‘five cup finals’ to claim European spot

Spurs lost their actual final at Wembley but the interim manager wants to secure Continental action for next term

(Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I)

Tottenham boss Ryan Mason says his side have got “five cup finals” left in their pursuit of Champions League football next season.

Spurs, currently in seventh in the Premier League, are outsiders to gatecrash the top four and qualify for the premier European competition next season after enduring a wretched second half of the campaign.

Jose Mourinho paid the price for that form, which saw Mason put in temporary charge until the end of the season and the former academy coach has to arguably deliver 15 points from the final five games to have any shot of qualifying.

That starts against Sheffield United on Sunday evening, with the 29-year-old knowing there is little room for manoeuvre.

“We’ve got five cup finals. This weekend is a massive game for this football club,” he said. “It’s important that we have the right mentality because it’s not easy to win games in the Premier League.

“We’ve had a week to prepare and a week to train, a week to work the players and come Sunday it’s a massive game for us as a group and as a football club.

“The biggest priority at the moment for the players is the weekend. That’s the priority. We can’t look past anyone, especially in the Premier League.

“Tottenham Hotspur want to be competing on the biggest stages, we want to have something in place that allows us to do that. This weekend is a massive game for this football club.”

Mason’s first week in the job was a “whirlwind” as he started as an academy coach on Monday, was appointed Mourinho’s interim replacement on Tuesday, took a game on Wednesday and then led his boyhood club out in a cup final on Sunday.

Things have been a bit more relaxed this week, with a full seven days on the training ground, and he has been keen to get his ideas across.

He added: “Two days’ preparation for the first game and two days on the pitch for the second one as well, it’s not ideal but it is football.

“I thought the lads showed bravery in those two games, I really did, to play a certain way off the back of not having much time to prepare for that.

“But we have had a full week and we have been able to work them hard, we have been in the classroom as well. It’s been important, the most important thing in football is that you win games, that changes the energy in the group.

“We know the importance of this weekend’s game, it’s a big game.”

PA