00:12Hi, guys. We'll start with the broadcast section that's got no embargo, followed by an embargoed section for 10.30
00:17p.m. tonight.
00:18No live tweeting during the broadcast section. We've got half an hour, so we'll try and get through as many
00:21people as possible and use the microphone provided.
00:23Hi, Roberto. Last week you said you were relying and counting on Koudis, then an injury. Then you said, when
00:32counting on Romero, injury looks like out for the season. How annoying and disappointed are you with that news?
00:39Romero, I'm really sorry for him, for his injury. Romero, first of all, loves Tottenham. And the people have to
00:49know he's suffering from this injury.
00:53He's suffering because he can't play any more for us in this season, but he's a great captain for us
01:04and for Tottenham as well.
01:07But we have to be anyway positive. We have Radu Dragosin and Kevin Danson. They are able to play, to
01:19play well, to give us quality with the ball and to be strong in defense's face.
01:29So, we can win anyway, and we want to win anyway.
01:35Another week of training under yourself, your methods, your philosophy. Have you been pleased with the reaction from the players,
01:40impressed with some of the players?
01:42How has it been this week?
01:43Well, I have to get to know my players better and better. Every week is much better. Anyway, we have
01:53no time.
01:54We have no time to lose. We have no time to understand the problems we have spent this season. We
02:04have to be focused just on the next game.
02:10And to transfer confidence. I can bring myself, I can bring my philosophy of football, but also I'm working to
02:29create the good atmosphere, the good relationship with the players.
02:34I think in this moment, especially for Tottenham in this season, but in this moment of football, the qualities of
02:43the players are important.
02:45But the spirit, the relationship between the players, the love the players put for their club are more important, for
02:56sure.
02:57The spirit and relationships, and you took them out for dinner, I hear?
03:02Yes, I don't know if we win the game for dinner. I know that we hit very well. The food
03:09was amazing.
03:14And if we win, I'm ready to pay every week one dinner.
03:24Thank you very much.
03:26Hi, Roberto. Just talking about that dinner, did you see an uplift in the spirits of your players after that
03:33dinner?
03:34I mean, what did you make of how they reacted to going out and just having some time away from
03:39the training pitches?
03:39I believe in the people. I believe in the human relationship. I believe in the spirit. I believe in the
03:48soul of the players.
03:51Before I speak about tactical dispositions, style of play, defensively, with the ball, without the ball, set pieces.
04:03These things are important. But first of all, I work with people with their problems.
04:15There are a lot of players. There are a lot of players and we have to build or rebuild or
04:19find in these last weeks the best relationship we can find.
04:29And I want to see on the pitch players help their teammates and push everybody for one target and to
04:39achieve our big, big target for us.
04:42Because if we don't achieve our target, everyone will lose something in their career.
04:50Do you have any players coming back for this game tomorrow? I mean, how is Vicario doing?
04:54We saw Bentancourt was in training in Madison. Anyone do to come back?
04:59Bentancourt is available to play. I don't know if they start the game or not.
05:05Bissouma is available to be 100% more than Sunderland game. And Vicario no. Vicario is another top guy. I
05:16look forward to work with him.
05:18Anyway, Kinski played very well in Sunderland. But Vicario is another important player for us. Big experience, big character, personality.
05:34And we are waiting for him.
05:38And obviously tomorrow you'll come up against your former side, Brighton. Fabian Herzler was speaking about you this morning.
05:44He was full of praise for what you did at the club. But he said when he took the job
05:48on he didn't want to make too many changes because of the work that you had done.
05:52He just made small adjustments. I just wonder what you think of the work that he has done at the
05:56club and the way they play.
06:05Fabian is a great coach. He is doing very well. I love Brighton. I love my former players. I am
06:20grateful with Tony Bloom, with Paul Barber, with all players.
06:25All the people working in this club. There are a lot of very, very good players. But Fabian is working
06:44very well and he is a credit for what they are doing.
06:50Hi Roberto. With Christian out, who will be your captain for tomorrow and the next six games?
06:59Listen, I have to decide. I didn't decide yet because I have had other more important problems to find a
07:12solution.
07:14But I would like all players feel to be a captain. Especially in this moment, no?
07:21It's not important if you play in the first eleven, if you play thirty minutes or ninety minutes or you
07:27can't play.
07:28Anyway, anyway, we have to feel everyone the responsibility of this situation and we can't cry.
07:38Otherwise, we have to push and to be stronger to come out of this situation because we are able to
07:45do that.
07:46It's felt like Tottenham has lacked leaders and characters this season, but James Madison is one of them.
07:53He was training this week. How likely is it that he can play some part during these final six games?
07:59Yes, but there are a lot of different types of players to be a leader.
08:05A leader who is talking inside of the dressing room, the leader with the ball, the leader in the tough
08:12moment,
08:13the leader because he is helping the teammates. I think to be a stronger team we need many, many leaders.
08:33For sure, Madison is a top player on the pitch with the ball, but also as a personality, as a
08:46character, as a mentality on the pitch.
08:54But I would like to reach this level for Mickey Van de Ven. For example, Betancourt is a leader.
09:06Palinja is another leader. I would like to push with Solanke because Solanke is one of the best strikers in
09:15Premier League.
09:19And I want him stronger, as a personality, as a character on the pitch.
09:26But also Xavi Simos is very young, but he is a leader with the ball because he has personality,
09:32he has the right character to receive the ball when the ball is hot.
09:38Because it's not so easy to play in this moment for us. But we need players with personality and character,
09:45otherwise they don't play with me.
09:49With Maddison, when do you think he will be able to play some minutes?
09:54I don't know. I don't know yet. I don't want to push too much because we lost Kudos in this
10:03way.
10:06I used to wait in the players when they are totally available to play and to restart the training.
10:17Because it's better to lose one game more than to take a risk for another new injury.
10:26I'll finish this section with David, please.
10:28Ciao, Roberto. The situation in the table is even worse than when you started last week.
10:33How much is that part of what you're trying to build in terms of mentality?
10:44The situation before to start, because two days before the Sunderland game, West Ham won with Wolverhampton.
10:52And from that moment was very tough for me. But I'm positive. I'm ready to fight. I believe to keep
11:05the Premier League.
11:06I believe, in my words, what I said last week, the focus is to win one game. I don't know
11:15if tomorrow we are able to win. I hope. I hope.
11:19And I think we have the quality enough to win a game. But anyway, we have to be stronger because
11:26the qualities of the player are bigger than the whole difficulty we are spending in this moment.
11:40Do you think this might be a situation in which you just need to win one game and then everything
11:44can change and unblock the mentality, personality, all the talent that this team has?
11:50Yes, I think it's crucial to win.
11:52Yes, I think it's crucial to win a game. Not just for the table. One part for the table, for
11:57sure. But because we have to feel again what is nice to win a game and what they can do.
12:15Because I have no doubt about the qualities of the players. When I watch the list of the squad, Betancourt,
12:25Bisouma, Palinja, Xavi Simons, Colomwani, Richarlison, Mickie van der Verne and I'm lucky for that.
12:36OK, now it's a tough moment. But to achieve the great target, you have to pass through the difficulties.
12:48You have to go through the difficulties, you have to get over the difficulties.
12:51There are maybe too many difficulties, but...
12:57Last question for me. When you reflect on your time with Brighton, how much did the time help you evolve
13:04in your career?
13:05No, Brighton is a special place for me, like Marseille, because Marseille is finishing in a different way.
13:15But anyway, Brighton and Marseille for me are very close as emotions, as memories.
13:21It was a major place for me. It was a major atmosphere with the players, relationship with the players.
13:31They are a lot of my children, because the relationship is so close.
13:41Danny Welbeck, Pascal Gross, Jason Steele, Webster, Weltman, Lewis Dunk.
13:50A lot of great memories, but I want to win tomorrow for sure.
13:56OK, we'll end the broadcast section there and move on to the embargo.
13:58Thank you, everyone.
13:58I'm glad you've got the keywords.
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