Nuno's ‘mask-of-stone' attitude only created divisions among squad

FEW at Tottenham are mourning the departure of Nuno Espirito Santo, but there has been little rejoicing, either.

- Dan Kilpatrick

Nuno was widely considered a decent man and was respected, if not well-liked, by staff, who recognised that he was forced to deal with a number of difficult situations not of his own making.

The squad, though, had serious reservations about Nuno’s qualities, and it was telling that not a single Spurs player has so far paid tribute to the Portuguese on social media.

Nuno has always preferred working with a small group and there was quickly a sense within the squad that you were either in or out under the 47-year-old. This sense of favouritism and hierarchy was emphasised by one of Nuno’s biggest mistakes, the decision to leave his entire first XI at home for the Europa Conference League trip to Vitesse Arnhem, effectively creating a two-tiered squad. Many of the players were unimpressed, with those in the de facto “second XI” particularly angry.