Micah Richards believes Tottenham’s players are playing with much more freedom following the departure of Jose Mourinho.
Spurs, with Ryan Mason in caretaker charge, beat Wolves 2-0 on Sunday to maintain their hopes of European football next season.
Speaking on the BBC’s Match of the Day 2 programme, Richards said it was clear there had been a change of mentality since Mourinho lost his job as manager.
The former Manchester City and England defender said: “I don’t want to be disrespectful to Mourinho because we all know he’s a defensive-style coach and it’s worked with other teams. But the key word was freedom.
“They kept trying to push them back. Normally this would be a Spurs side that would go 1-0 up and try and see out a 1-0 and be happy with that. It’s about intent. It’s not about sitting back and relaxing.
“Obviously there was something happening in the camp – there was a falling-out and you could tell from the players’ attitudes at times.
“They were playing within themselves. Now they just look like they’ve got more confidence.
“The next manager who comes in there can play attacking football.”
Richards’ fellow pundit Danny Murphy agreed that the players were benefiting from a change of philosophy.
“It is more free-flowing. It is more ambitious,” said the ex-Spurs midfielder.
“Against the better teams I think you’ll see that maybe backfire at times, but that’s the balance.”
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