The Portuguese tactician has queried the decision for the break to end with a match prior to their European return
Tottenham coach Jose Mourinho has revealed his unhappiness at the FA’s scheduling of the upcoming winter break.
Spurs, who travel to Southampton for a fourth-round FA Cup tie on Saturday, will start their 14-day break after a home league match against Manchester City on February 2.
Their next fixture after the hiatus will come away at Aston Villa on February 16 – three days before they take on Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in the Champions League round of 16.
Mourinho feels the break should have been scheduled to lead into the European knockout match – but insisted his team is not worried about the period without football.
“It is what it is. I am not happy that the break comes in the wrong moment because the break should be before the Champions League,” Mourinho said.
“In the end before the Champions League we don’t have the break. We have to play Aston Villa on the Sunday before playing Red Bull [Leipzig] two days later.
“We really don’t care about the break really.”
If Tottenham draw against the Saints in their cup match, they will be forced to play a replay on either February 4 or 5 – further delaying the start of their time off.
Mourinho says his team would deal with having an extra game added to their fixture list because they would stil be able to win the tournament.
“If we have to play Southampton in a second match it means we are still alive in the competition and it is better than losing,” he said.
“If we can choose a result, the one we are going to try to get is of course to win the match, if we get a draw we are still alive. To play at home in the second match is better than to lose.”
With Harry Kane out injured long-term and a replacement striker having not yet been signed in the January transfer window, 17-year-old Troy Parrott is the squad’s only out-and-out centre forward.
While Parrott is not yet ready to fill the shoes of Kane, Mourinho hinted the Republic of Ireland international could get an opportunity in the first team against the Saints.
“If [Parrott] has to play with us, he will,” Mourinho said.
“He will do his best, he will show his good qualities, he will show his fragilities because at this moment he is a 17-year-old kid with fragilities in his game.
“But in this moment I cannot tell you, it is possible he is selected for this game.”
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