Kelly: We will all be watching the World Cup next summer. What can we expect out there?
Mauricio: It is going to be amazing. The USA is an amazing country, with amazing people and fans. I invite people to go and visit America, and share the excitement. It is a massive opportunity for the USA to show how football, soccer…
Kelly: Still football? Or are you trying to call it soccer?
Mauricio: No, it’s soccer! They push me to say soccer!
Kelly: It must be exciting to be spearheading that, and be part of that – coming from a football culture and instilling what you have learned in your career to them?
Mauricio: The motivation is massive. Sometimes you feel people don’t understand the culture of football… soccer. Sometimes you need to live with people who can help you. There are coaches out there who say you need to understand the culture of American players. I say, ‘no, the most important thing is the culture of soccer’. They need to know, and we need to translate that to the American players. After one year, we are making great progress, and building with people who are starting to realise the language of soccer is only one – it doesn’t matter if you are American, Brazilian, English… there is only one language of football. We are excited to build a team which is competitive to win in our own country, to try and get the result.
Kelly: Is there a part of you which misses the Premier League? Do you still watch it a lot?
Mauricio: Yeah, I watch a lot. The Premier League is the best in the world. Of course I miss it. I am so happy in the USA, but I am always thinking about returning one day. It is the most competitive league, and of course I would love to come back again.
Kelly: Tell me one thing about you, Mauricio, which would surprise me.
Mauricio: I am a very good chef, particularly barbecues.
Kelly: Then why do you live in England!
Mauricio: It is possible to do with umbrellas when it is raining! I barbecue steak, veggies, fish, chicken. I am very good, very confident. When I was a player, I did it with my team-mates, and as a coach.
Kelly: You’ve done barbecues for your players?
Mauricio: At Tottenham, every 10 days or two weeks, we prepared a barbecue. We had chefs and I would help.
Kelly: [Former chairman] Daniel Levy has left Tottenham now. You had a relationship with him when you were at the club. What did you make of the news of him leaving and the legacy he’s left?
Mauricio: I was very surprised. We still keep in touch. Our relationship was always good. His legacy is there. It’s amazing what he did for the club. We’re in contact and one day I’d like to share a coffee with him. He made it a possibility for me to manage a club like Tottenham – one of the best clubs in the world with an amazing fanbase. I’m very grateful to him and proud to be part of the family of Tottenham.
Kelly: If you could achieve only one more thing in your career, what would it be?
Mauricio: Talking about the Premier League, and we are in London… to win the Premier League and the Champions League. We were so close in Tottenham. I want to achieve this. I am still young, I have the energy, experience and motivation to try in the future. Outside, to make my family feel proud – my sons, my wife, my dog, my horses, my mum and dad, my granddaughter…
Kelly: You have a granddaughter?
Mauricio: Yeah, eight months now. The most important thing is the people who are around you, and want to be with you. That is the most important thing you can achieve.
