Former Tottenham goalkeeper Erik Thorstvedt is surprised by the sacking of Jose Mourinho on Monday.
Thorstvedt believes axing Mourinho in the week of the Carabao Cup final was a sign of the tension inside the club. However, he still finds the timing baffling given the Wembley date with Manchester City is just days away.
Mourinho has been replaced by 29 year-old Ryan Mason, who has been appointed caretaker manager to the end of the season with no experience in the job.
"I think it was a very surprising timing. Six days before a Cup final pretty much says about how bad they think it is," said Thorstvedt, quoted by VG.
"That it comes so close to the final, says a lot about how the atmosphere was internally. It was a rather strange choice."
For Thorstvedt, despite his ties to Spurs, the job was always a step down for Mourinho and he can now see the former Inter Milan coach returning to Serie A.
He added: "Tottenham was basically a step down for Mourinho. I think he's going down the table to get a job in England. Italy can be a good place for him to go."
Now 58, former Norway international Thorstvedt spent eight years with Tottenham, with the Londoners being his final club before retirement. He won the FA Cup with Spurs in 1991 and is now a popular pundit at home in Norway.
- updated April 21
