PAULO FONSECA has revealed his move to Tottenham collapsed over managing director Fabio Paratici's demands for more defensive football.
The former Roma boss looked set to take over the reigns at Tottenham in the summer, replacing Jose Mourinho who left towards the back end of last season.
In an interview with Telegraph Sport, Fonseca revealed an 'agreement was done', but the move collapsed over Paratici's demand for defensive football.
Former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo was instead appointed, and Fonseca's role at Roma was filled by Mourinho – the very man he was meant to be replacing at Spurs.
He said: "The agreement was done. We were planning the pre-season and Tottenham wanted an offensive coach.
"It wasn’t announced but we planned pre-season players. But things changed when the new managing director arrived and we didn’t agree with some ideas and he preferred another coach.
“I have some principles. I wanted to be coach of the great teams but I want the right project and a club where the people believe in my ideas, my way to play, and this didn’t happen with the managing director.
“It’s what the chairman and the sporting director (Steve Hitchen) asked for. To build a team who can play attractive and offensive football and I was ready for that.
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"I cannot be a different way. All my teams will have these intentions. In Rome or Shakhtar in the Champions League against the biggest teams, I’m not sending out my teams to defend near their own box.”
Fonseca has stuck to his principles wherever he has managed.
Whether it be for Pacos de Ferreira where he guided them to the Champions League, Shakhtar Donetsk where he won three league titles on the bounce, or most recently, Roma.
His philosophy is simple: the best way to defend is to have the ball – something Paratici DIDN'T want.
He continued: "All players want to have the ball.
“They want to dominate. They want to participate. They don’t want to run to recover the ball.
"They don’t want to run without the ball and defend. The best way to defend is to have the ball.
“We have an obligation with supporters to create a spectacle, a good show. That is the obligation of the coach.
"I want to win every game but just winning is not enough for me.
I have some principles. I wanted to be coach of the great teams but I want the right project and a club where the people believe in my ideas, my way to play, and this didn’t happen with the managing director.
"I have to be offensive and dominate the games and have an offensive midfield and show courage in the game. These are things which will die with me.
“It happened so many times when I got home after winning a game and my wife asked ‘why are you unhappy?’ And it is because I didn’t win the way I wanted to.
"It is not enough. I have to create a good show for the people who pay the tickets and love football. At least I try. I cannot be a coach in another way.”
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