Tottenham Hotspur head coach Jose Mourinho believes Chelsea legend John Terry has chosen the difficult route to management and has heaped praise on the Englishman for learning his trade in the dugout.
Mourinho's Tottenham have been enjoying a winter break, but will return to Premier League action this Sunday when they will be hosted by Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Come Sunday, present in the Portuguese tactician's opposing dugout will be former Chelsea skipper Terry, who currently serves as the assistant to Villans boss Dean Smith.
Terry worked with Mourinho at Chelsea and won three Premier League title under the Portuguese. He now continues to impress the 57-year-old as he steps into the world of management.
The former England international took up the role of assistant manager at then Championship club Aston Villa in 2018 and Mourinho is proud of Terry for choosing the difficult route.
"Some players, unlike in the past when you needed to prove yourself to get a job, in this moment you get a job without proving anything", Mourinho said in an interview with Sky Sports.
"So John could have chosen that way. Waiting for a big call. But he didn't choose that way.
"He went the difficult way but probably the more stable way, being an assistant. Going to the Championship. Coming to the Premier League.
"Taking time to reach what he wants to reach. It will arrive. So I am really proud of the way he is doing things."
While Mourinho views Terry highly, the Portuguese manager will not have any sympathy when his Tottenham face Aston Villa on Sunday.
