Frank delighted with Tottenham spirit as Kudos earns three points at Leeds

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Frank delighted with Tottenham spirit as Kudos earns three points at Leeds  04/101/2025  Elland Road, Leeds, UK

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00:00Thomas, a hard 4 win here at Leeds, your initial reaction?

00:06I'm extremely happy with the win.

00:11I think if you want to build any successful team, I think you need mentality and character,

00:17and cohesion and togetherness.

00:19No matter if you play like Inter or Barcelona or whatever style of play,

00:26you need that willingness to do everything to win.

00:31I think we are building that more and more in the team.

00:38And let's say you can say last 10, 15, where they pushed us back and we also dropped a little back.

00:45But I thought it was throughout the game.

00:48I actually think that until the 80th minute, I'm very happy with those 80 minutes, give and take.

00:54They look very solid defensively. I think we gave the goal away,

00:59which is like a cross deflected shot.

01:03And then, of course, I know they hit the post, but I think it looks more dangerous than it is.

01:08That's what we give away until the 80th minute.

01:10But I think we create two goals and another very good and dangerous situation and chances.

01:14So, I'm very happy with that.

01:15And then we need a little bit of surviving and a couple of good saves from Michael.

01:22Thomas, Tottenham fans are looking at the table now.

01:24We'll see you second in the league and that was a long way to go.

01:27We must be delighted with your overall start.

01:30Yeah, of course I am. I think 14 points in seven is two on average.

01:37You know, that's very good.

01:40So, that overall start I'm happy with.

01:42I'm extremely happy that we're now on the road of 1-3 and a draw.

01:48Which I think that's part of that. If you want to achieve anything, you need to do that.

01:52So, overall start, a good start, but yeah, we need to continue, of course.

01:59So, almost emotional about him. So happy for him.

02:11I think the character he's shown from a young man just really impressed me.

02:18From day one. But, of course, after a setback, not coming in the Champions League squad.

02:25You know, not being an established player.

02:29Maybe play a good position where I really can see him play and I think he's taking steps.

02:35Others have been picked a little bit for the left.

02:38So, just keep training well, which he does. He trains well every day.

02:42Stayed home when we went to board the whole team, trained well.

02:45Just ready today. And also, I think big praise to Cameron and Justin to work with Matthias and the way we work with him.

02:57From a fine game against West Ham as a striker to a better game against Doncaster where he arrives more in the right areas.

03:04I know he could have scored two goals, but as I say, he arrives there.

03:07Because we trained and we showed clips and we, to the next level today, where I think he worked hard.

03:13He scored a good goal and it was a little deflection, but you know, the connection was good.

03:17He has a header. Other good situations. So, yeah, I'm very, very pleased.

03:22You spoke before about that attack and the play started to gel. Was it a little kind of strength of that starting to work?

03:29Yeah, I think it looked promising today at times. I liked Xavi as a 10. I think that was his best game for us.

03:38There's still more to come, but I think he had some really good actions in there.

03:43Mo again, getting his goal, which I'm pleased with. It was about time. He scored that goal, but no, so pleased for him.

03:51So, you just see, it looked a little bit more fluid.

03:54I just asked what I wanted to call it. That big save at the end, kind of show character.

03:58Maybe some might look at potentially his involvement or the goal, but also the way he came back at the end. It was two big saves, actually.

04:05Yeah, yeah, I agree. Two big saves. I think the one with the left hand was the biggest one. Very, very good and big save.

04:12The goal, I looked it back. I think it's... I need to look a little bit more calmly in it, but of course you can say,

04:19can we put the ball in another place, you know, how can we pair it out and Desk could be more aware.

04:24I also think it drops deflection. You know, there's a few bits we could have done better there.

04:29So I don't think it's a massive mistake, if that makes sense, but I'd rather want to praise two big saves.

04:37Thomas, I know you've spoken about your defence a little earlier, but in terms of the centre-back partnership,

04:42it's hard to think of a more impressive one than yours anywhere in the Premier League.

04:49Thank you. I think the two there are very important. Of course the whole team is always important at back four and all that,

04:56but I agree with you. You have the right pairing in the middle. It brings you a long way.

05:03So I think it's a big credit to the two of them. I think it's a big credit to the performance and medical staff.

05:11They've done a very good job there and a very good place, both of them right now, in terms of fitness.

05:16And especially, I'll say, I'll praise the medical and performance staff for a short turn around.

05:24He got a big bruised foot, QT or Christian Romeo, from Wolves to this.

05:30But he got around and he managed to play through the pain in the end, so also show character mentality.

05:35The team seems, in the past maybe, when teams have come back at them, and I know you weren't manager at the time before you say it,

05:42but Spurs and teams in the past have buckled, which sides have got at them.

05:46You seem to be a bit more streetwise, street fighting about, you know.

05:52Yeah, I think football is such a competitive sport and there'll be lots of small setbacks in a game

06:04where you concede a corner that was maybe not a corner or you lose the ball and you need to sprint back

06:08or you need to defend for a long period or it's not going as well.

06:12You concede a goal after we actually were on top of the game.

06:15We had a big chance for Mo to score 2-0, boom, out of a little bit of nothing, lead score.

06:20But stay in the game, keep doing the right thing.

06:22So I'm speaking a lot about it, showing clips what to do, and the players are really, really doing well.

06:29But you seem to know how to ride those roadblocks a little more now.

06:32And to what, sorry?

06:33You seem to know how to get over those roadblocks.

06:35Ah, yeah, yeah.

06:37Yeah, I think the players definitely, they have it in them.

06:41And I think they show, yeah, very good character.

06:44Thomas, you've got a lot of attacking absentees obviously at the minute,

06:47some very high profile players.

06:49Maybe in the eyes of fans they weren't expecting such a good impressive start.

06:54Has there been a sort of tendency if you had to address that issue?

06:57I'm sure you wouldn't have accepted that as an excuse.

06:59But you're almost playing with a very weak squad yet still pulling off these good results.

07:03Is that something you have to address with the players about?

07:05So they're not really sorry for themselves or not using that as an excuse?

07:09Ah, that Dom and Kodomo Ani is out and stuff.

07:11Yeah, yeah.

07:13I actually never speak about that.

07:15I never speak about two players that we have injured players.

07:18I've never done that.

07:19I just look at the next one in line and do everything I can to prepare that player or those players and boost them.

07:27And I said from day one and I'm more or less say once a week that we're going to need everyone.

07:32Everyone needs to be ready.

07:33I need to help the team.

07:34Hi Thomas.

07:35Obviously you know in terms of qualities but Destiny came in today and I think just this kind of left-footedness

07:42and being able to attack down that left absolutely more naturally.

07:46And Jett had a different dimension as opposed to Spurs attacking quality down that left.

07:53You kind of spoke yesterday about the balance that you had on all three sides.

07:57Do you think that was kind of more natural and spread out?

08:01Yeah, maybe.

08:03I think actually Jett is very good to run forward with the ball as well.

08:07But there is something in the natural with the left footer.

08:10So there's something in that.

08:12And I guess it's a reason that across the globe most coaches tend to play a left footed as a left back.

08:19I'm just happy that I have three very good fullbacks.

08:23But I agree.

08:24I think actually Dest also showed some good bits today.

08:26He maybe should have scored himself instead of pass it to Mo.

08:30So, yeah.

08:32I think, by the way, I've been in Championship for many years, so I know how difficult a league it is.

08:50And always respected.

08:52So, any weaknesses?

08:57I think before this game, and I think it's the same today, they really have, they conceded very little chances on XG.

09:09So, if you look at the XG today also, in that sense, they conceded very little.

09:14I think the one that maybe is, how can I say, maybe hidden a little bit from the performance today,

09:21is I think we had five or six, like, top situations where we flashed the ball across the box, where we need to be there.

09:28And then it's maybe two goals and an XG of two.

09:32But I think they, I rather want to praise Leeds.

09:35I think they were good today.

09:37I think they were difficult to play against.

09:39I think they defended well.

09:41And I felt they were very brave also on the ball.

09:46Okay, we're going to have to leave there, I'm afraid.

09:49Okay, same, guys.

09:51Thank you, guys.

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