Tottenham: Ryan Mason says he is ‘not silly enough’ to think about coaching club next season
Tottenham’s interim coach Ryan Mason says he has not discussed his future at the club with chairman Daniel Levy, insisting it would be “silly” to think ahead to next season.
Former Spurs midfielder Mason is at the helm until the end of the current campaign, having taken over from Jose Mourinho last month, and has guided his side to two wins from two Premier League matches so far.
He has also impressed people within the club with his training methods, style of play and the way he has handled the media.
Mason, the Premier League’s youngest ever manager at 29, says he gets on well with Levy but that nothing has been discussed beyond the next game at Leeds.
“I’ve always had a very good relationship with the chairman,” Mason said. “As a player, I returned as a coach.
“He’s also given me the responsibility to lead this club. We speak. He’s a good man, he cares immensely about the football club. He wants what’s best and we have a good relationship.
“All we’ve spoke about is the next game. It really has been the next game. It has to be. There can’t be any thought of the summer or next season.
“If you take your eye off the moment… the next game is important for the club, the players, the fans, the chairman, everyone.”
Mason is concentrating on winning the last four games of the season, which could possibly see Spurs gatecrash the top four and secure Champions League qualification for next term.
If he could manage that, there could be a compelling argument for him becoming Mourinho’s permanent successor, but Mason is not prepared to discuss that yet.
“That’s all hypothetical – ‘if we win, if we do this’. I’ve said all along my only focus is on the next game, I’m really not silly enough to starting thinking ahead of certain situations,” he said.
“My mind has to be on this game tomorrow and then once that game’s out of the way my mind will be fully focused on the next one. That’s all I have to say on that matter.”
One of the plus points of Mason’s short stint has been the form of Gareth Bale, who has scored four goals in the two league games. Bale, who is due to return to Real Madrid in the summer to discuss his future, bagged a hat-trick against Sheffield United on Sunday and is looking back to his best.
“I can only go off the back of the last two weeks from what I’ve seen of Gareth,” Mason said. “Obviously I experienced playing with him as well. He’s a top professional with immense quality.
“The last two weeks of training have been excellent. Obviously he’s produced on the football pitch as well – that’s four goals in two Premier League matches.
“He’s happy, I’m happy. That’s important as players, we have to be happy to perform to our best. At the moment you’re seeing Gareth close to his best.
“I think those questions and answers regarding his future are not for me to say. I think Gareth and his parent club, they will have conversations once the season is over.
“I think it wouldn’t be right of us to start thinking about the off-season and next season now. As a football club we have to focus on our next four matches and tomorrow is a massive match. This game is so important and that will be the case until the end of the season.”
Left-back Ben Davies will miss the trip to Elland Road with an ankle injury, but Tanguy Ndombele and Lucas Moura are both fully fit, having recovered from a muscle issue and knock respectively.
PA
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