Cash-strapped Marine’s raffle is just the ticket for Mourinho

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho says he plans to buy a ticket for the raffle organised by FA Cup opponents Marine even though he will most likely be unable to claim the prize of managing the eighth-tier side in a friendly.

Cash- strapped Marine’s hopes of generating revenue through the turnstiles have been scuppered by the Merseyside region being placed in Tier 3 of Britain’s Covid-19 restrictions, forcing the game to be played without supporters at the club’s 3,185-capacity Rossett Park stadium.

The Northern Premier League Division 1 North West club expected 500 fans to attend but are staring at £100,000 ($135,630) in lost revenue, while a sponsor pulled out of a £20,000 advertising package when the game went behind closed doors.

However, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has stepped in to sponsor the dugouts and pre-match warm-up tops through his JC23 charity foundation.

Marine are also raising funds by selling virtual tickets at £10 each which will go into a raffle with the winner getting the chance to manage the side during the next pre-season.

Portuguese coach Mourinho is set to dip his hand in his pocket to help out, with Marine saying on Saturday they had sold more than 10,000 virtual tickets for the third-round clash.

“I am buying,” Mourinho said. “If I win, I cannot do it [ manage Marine] because we have our pre-season.

“I don’t think I will have conditions to do that. But the meaning of it makes me say ‘yes’ to buying.”

Concerns have been raised over the condition of the pitch at Marine but Mourinho is confident his side will cope. “I would say the opposite. People normally say top players need great pitches to play. I would say top players, technically high level, they can play on any pitch,” he added.