Cristian Romero exclusive: Tottenham defender says club can create something special to end 16-year trophy wait | Football News
It’s GCSE outcomes day throughout England. At Tottenham’s state-of-the-art coaching floor in Enfield, academy gamers stroll down the steps holding certificates with dad and mom ready anxiously in the primary reception beneath them.
Making the grade as a first-team participant right here is the final word objective, however schooling is paramount alongside Hotspur Approach. “Straight sixes,” one younger man exclaims.
Within the new system, a six equates to a B grade in previous cash – simply exterior the A and A* bracket. Completely strong, however nothing special.
The identical can be mentioned of Tottenham’s first season below Ange Postecoglou.
Eight wins and two attracts in his first 10 video games set a file for a supervisor new to the Premier League, however, from January till Might, inconsistent performances resulted within the club simply lacking out on a Champions League place, two factors in need of Aston Villa.
Defender Cristian Romero has change into accustomed to being his supervisor’s star pupil. For Argentina, two Copa America titles both facet of a World Cup has elevated ‘Cuti’ – as he’s affectionately recognized – to among the finest defenders in world soccer.
Romero loved extra Copa America success this summer season
Having been named within the crew of the event, the problem now could be to convert worldwide excellence to club soccer. With Everton the primary guests of the brand new season to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, the brief turnaround has solely stored the starvation burning.
“Being honest I’ve not had much of a pre-season as I arrived back right at the end of it, but the group is looking great,” Romero tells Sky Sports activities, nonetheless basking within the afterglow of his nation’s second Copa in three years.
“Though the primary sport [against Leicester] led to a draw I believe there have been a lot of positives on show.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Leicester’s match towards Tottenham
“For sure there were other players who like me had not had much playing time ahead of opening day, but we’re on the right road and all busy preparing hard to approach the second game in the best shape possible. We’ll be looking to put in a good performance [against Everton] and pick up all three points at home.”
Having scored 5 targets final season, greater than every other Premier League defender, there usually are not many issues Romero can not do.
Romero has come a good distance since Belgrano’s youth crew
This interview, nevertheless, is being performed in Spanish. Regardless of transferring to North London for a price within the area of £42m – initially on mortgage – three years in the past, Romero is but to conduct one in English.
Two seasons at Genoa and one other at Atalanta helps the centre-back communicate Italian with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and full-back Future Udogie, whereas Pedro Porro to his proper and Rodrigo Bentancur in entrance of him communicate his mom tongue.
However after his finest pal in soccer Lisandro Martinez just lately obtained plaudits for talking on Friday Night time Football, the hope is for the 26-year-old to quickly present he too can talk unaided by a translator.
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Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou admitted he was dissatisfied by how wasteful his Spurs facet had been in entrance of objective within the 1-1 draw towards Leicester within the Premier League
It was Maurizio Sarri who, at the beginning of final season whereas at Lazio, mentioned that ‘soccer performed in August was a liar’, not wanting to be drawn on the importance of three attracts from his opening three video games.
“That’s probably true,” Romero admits when considering the veracity of Sarri’s assertion. “They’re the first few games. You can’t say such and such a team will win the league based on winning the first five or six games.
“It is a lengthy season and a troublesome and aggressive league not determined till the ultimate few fixtures. There are often nonetheless a couple of groups combating it out.
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Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville regarded again on why Tottenham struggled defensively final season and mentioned they want to enhance in the event that they’re to qualify for the Champions League this marketing campaign
“We have clear examples over recent seasons where three or four teams are battling it out for the title until the final few days. So no, you can’t pick out a clear favourite now.
“You get all kinds of surprises the place the underside crew can give an actual sport to the highest sides. Each sport is entertaining to watch as they’re very aggressive.”
How Tottenham’s 2023/24 season unravelled offered additional proof not to get overly excited by these early rounds. Twelve defeats of their final 28 video games spoiled that blistering begin that had them high heading into November.
So what have Tottenham addressed to guarantee this season can be completely different? Romero says the club’s intention has by no means altered.
“I really don’t have a crystal ball to tell the future or what’s going to happen next,” admits Romero, who is about to make his one centesimal look for Tottenham towards Everton.
“We’re going to give every thing and practice at our greatest in each session so that each sport can go our means. Our intention will in fact be to attempt to carry a trophy this season. However it’s straightforward to speak… the toughest factor is attaining that.
“I think we all know each other now. The coach and the group all know each other perfectly well. We all have to have the same basic approach on a day-to-day basis.
“That is soccer, so it does not simply depend upon the group of gamers and the teaching workers. I believe that the ambition right here inside our club has to all the time be the perfect, as a result of if not, it is tougher for issues to go effectively.
“I think we’re very much on the right track and let’s hope that this season can be the one where we manage to win a trophy.”
Postecoglou says he’s used to profitable silverware in his second season.
Monday’s 1-1 draw at Leicester felt like two factors had been left within the Midlands given Spurs’ dominant first half – however when the supervisor’s phrases on his personal observe file in time period two are put to him, Romero doesn’t see it as including further strain.
“Let’s hope that is the way it will go, however I method every season in the identical means concerning my very own private opinion. I all the time need to win, and I’ve that focus to all the time flip up day-after-day and attempt to enhance and attempt to put in my most effort.
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“But it totally depends on everyone. I hope my team-mates are listening to the message and together we can create something special this season.”
Defending set-pieces was Tottenham’s Achilles’ heel final season. Solely three groups conceded greater than the 23 shipped from set-plays.
Postecoglou has dismissed options that specializing in this weak point in coaching will resolve these points – however Romero says it’s an space that should enhance.
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Postecoglou displays on his 2023/24 marketing campaign and the way he’s wanting to convey trophies to the club in his second season in cost
“I think honestly that last season we conceded a few too many goals from dead-ball situations,” he says.
“That was one negative aspect about the team. It’s not so much about training or criticism that the team’s received, it’s more about all the players trying to be totally focused and switched on during the game.
“Neither was it ever a query of top or being taller or smaller or the rest which will have been spoken about final season. However it’s extra concerning the focus and focus of each participant, within the end it will depend on that. This season we’ve to enhance on this space.
Spurs’ final Premier League clear sheet with out Romero got here in August 2022
“In the first game [against Leicester] I think we started off by performing pretty well in that aspect and so now we have to keep that going throughout the rest of the season.”
This weekend, they face an Everton facet who scored all three of their targets final time period towards Spurs by way of dead-ball conditions, together with a dramatic late equaliser in February’s 2-2 draw during which Romero may solely divert his tried headed clearance into the trail of goalscorer Jarrad Branthwaite.
Solely Arsenal scored extra targets from set-pieces final season than Everton, so has this week seen any better emphasis positioned on nullifying their opponent’s best power?
Romero says: “We’re working well in training currently and more than just focusing too much on our opponents we always try to improve anything that we did badly in the last game and look at ways we can hurt the opposition.
“We all the time take a look at ourselves, not concentrating a lot on our opponents, however by specializing in ourselves, if we’re on kind, I reckon we can decide up the three factors. That is the best way we method all our Premier League video games.”
‘Solanke matches completely into our system’
What are your early impressions of Dominic Solanke?
“He’s an excellent striker and right here’s hoping he has a high season for us. In reality I’ve solely had a couple of coaching periods with him.
“But I already knew him having played against him before, and he’s a top striker. I think with the system we play he’s going to do great things for the team. Of course we have Richy [Richarlison] here too and so we hope for some healthy competition between them and wish them both an excellent season.”
Can he substitute Harry Kane’s targets?
“Let’s hope so! Of course it won’t be an easy task for him, but he has all the attributes to be able to do so.”
Tottenham have developed a transparent identification below Postecoglou. Solely Manchester Metropolis (416) secured extra excessive turnovers final season than Spurs (396).
In accordance to Opta’s PPDA metric which calculates the variety of opposition passes allowed per defensive motion, no crew averaged fewer than Tottenham’s 8.8.
Solely Manchester Metropolis, Arsenal and Liverpool had a better common beginning distance from their very own objective at 44 metres.
On finishing up this high-line method, Romero says: “It’s really the coach who decides, but we all like playing the way we do. Like any system or tactic it has its benefits and can have its negatives.
“I really feel it is a system that fits us and works for us rather well, as a result of we’ve the gamers who can win again possession actually rapidly.
“Rodrigo [Bentancur] offers us so much playing just in front of the two centre-backs in the way he wins the ball back for us so quickly.”
Romero was 10 the final time Tottenham lifted a trophy
Final season, Postecoglou prioritised remodeling the crew’s type of play over ending within the high 4. His early remit was to carry the gloom that had set in below earlier regimes.
Tottenham confirmed towards newly-promoted Leicester they may proceed to be adventurous and proactive, however as Postecoglou slumped to his haunches in time added on, that craving for tangible development nonetheless lingers.
The following stage of the undertaking should present that Romero and his team-mates have matured into the A-star college students able to creating something actually special in N17.