Speaking in his press conference after the 5-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk, the Tottenham manager shared his thoughts on a range of topics including the team’s performance, the atmosphere at the stadium, and the ongoing transfer saga involving Harry Kane.
The Stadium Experience
Reflecting on his first experience at the stadium, the manager said, “It is obviously a great stadium, a fantastic stadium actually. It is actually my first time in here, so I enjoyed it and a brilliant turnout from the fans for a friendly game. A good cause as well and it was a good atmosphere in the game.”
Harry Kane’s Professionalism
When asked about Harry Kane’s performance amidst the noise around him, the manager praised Kane’s professionalism, saying, “Yeah, I don’t think that (professionalism) has ever been in question about Harry. His whole career he has shown that. He was good today and the majority of our stuff was fairly positive. Obviously still got a fair few things to work on.”
Team’s Progress
The manager acknowledged that there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of the team’s progress. “You can see there is progression there but there is still a long way to go and players still to come into the squad as well, who have to be integrated into it so we’ve still got a big amount of work to do.”
Squad Size
On the topic of squad size, he stated, “Look, I don’t have a fixed number in my head but fair to say our squad is too big at the moment and there are obviously guys who will look for opportunities elsewhere.”
Harry Kane’s Future
Regarding the future of Harry Kane, the manager said, “I am just planning for preparing the team for Tuesday and then we’ll work our way into Brentford for next week. I haven’t even thought about who will start that game.”
Bayern’s Approach
When asked about Bayern’s public approach for Kane, the manager responded, “I don’t have a view either way mate. That’s up to Bayern to decide. If that’s the way they want to conduct things, it’s not up to me to judge that.”
Areas of Improvement
The manager also highlighted areas where the team needs to improve. “I really wasn’t happy with that last five or six minutes of the first half, we were just playing for 1-0, that doesn’t sit well with me.”
The interview provides a detailed insight into the manager’s thoughts and plans for the team. It’s clear that while he is satisfied with the progress made so far, he acknowledges that there is still a lot of work to be done.
