Antonin Kinsky has spoken to the press for the first time since his howler against Atletico Madrid, and the Tottenham keeper is determined to show some fight.
When Atletico’s third goal was about to go in and Antonin Kinsky dejectedly collapsed to the ground in defeat, many would think that the goalkeeper played his last match in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt.
Kinsky’s mistakes had gifted Atletico Madrid two easy goals and to make the whole debacle even more humiliating, Igor Tudor hooked the Czech keeper immediately after.
But more than a month after, that Champions League night is no more than a painful memory in the back of minds of Spurs fans, as Antonin Kinsky is doing everything he can to write over that legacy and show his true worth as a goalkeeper.
Antonin Kinsky speaks for first time since Tottenham mistakes
It was an injury to his teammate, Guglielmo Vicario who had to undergo hernia surgery, that earned Kinsky a second chance at life at Tottenham, as he found himself with the number one shirt again.
Despite some worries that the damage done to his confidence reached a stage of no return, in all fairness Kinsky has been splendid since returning between the goalposts.
Kinsky has now spoken to the media for the first time since that faithful night in Madrid in an interview for Canal+ (via Alasdair Gold). He talks about the mood in the dressing room, his role in Tottenham’s relegation run-in and that last-gasp save at the Molineux.
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“The determination is huge. We feel that we want it, the fans want it, everyone is behind us and we will do everything we can. Of course, we got ourselves into this situation which we don’t want to be, but I believe we are doing the right things to get out and I believe we have the qualities to get out,” Kinsky said on Tottenham’s current table position.
The goalkeeper also spoke of his performance against Wolves last Saturday, when his two crucial interventions, including a breathtaking last minute parade to stop a free kick heading for the top bins, earned Spurs the three points and kept their hopes of avoiding relegation alive.
“For the save, I am happy for that because it was a good moment at the end of the game. Yeah, I just stayed calm and did what I am supposed to do.”
The young keeper showed his mettle in overcoming the setback his career suffered at Atletico and he shows it again with his cool and calm approach to his role.
“You know that any time there can be some break and some dangerous situation. I think it is more about keeping balanced, being focused on the offensive part of the game if you have the ball 70 per cent and then at the back being compact and ready for any counter.”
“I think we did it well and especially in the first half. Second half could be better and I think these are the things we can take into the next game.”
Kinsky hopes Spurs can kick on from Wolves win
Kinsky also hopes that Tottenham’s win against Wolves will galvanize the team – “This was an important moment for us, an important game and it was five games until the end [of the season]. We know that every game we need to get the points you know as much as possible, so of course we did it and got the three points. We want to continue this in the next games.”
“Determination is the right mindset I would say with the confidence. It has to be balanced no matter what the situation is, especially on the pitch during the game.”
“Even though OK, you are more on the ball, you know that any time there can be some break and some dangerous situation. I think it is more about keeping balanced, being focused on the offensive part of the game if you have the ball 70 per cent or something like this and then at the back being compact and ready for any counter,” Kinsky told Canal+. “I think we did it well and especially in the first half. Second half could be better and I think these are the things we can take into the next game.”