Back to the Tottenham Hotspur Newsfeed

Matt Doherty believes his work ethic caught the eye of Jose Mourinho as Tottenham new boy reflects on cleaning carpets with his dad as a youngster before his breakthrough in professional football

Matt Doherty’s Premier League journey did not begin until he’d spent a year slogging away as a carpet cleaner for his dad, a grounding Tottenham’s new recruit believes has given him the work ethic which caught Jose Mourinho’s eye.

Doherty, a £15m summer signing from Wolves, is living the dream earning big bucks playing in one of the world’s best leagues, European club competitions and representing Ireland.

And it’s not a lifestyle he is going to take for granted given his very unglamorous upbringing while playing part-time for Bohemians back in Ireland.