Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky is delighted that Roberto De Zerbi decided against one grand gesture he was all set to make.
Kinsky has completed a remarkable journey since his horror show on Atletico Madrid's bumpy pitch in March to become the man who helped save Tottenham from relegation and then take his place as De Zerbi's number one.
The 23-year-old Czech stopper became the butt of jokes after his Champions League debut ended after just 16 minutes, with two clangers and three goals rattling past him
He was hauled off by Spurs caretaker boss Igor Tudor that night, the Croatian claiming it was to protect the young keeper but it only intensified the glare on him as videos of the goals and his exit went viral on social media.
Then two things happened. Guglielmo Vicario could no longer play through the pain of a hernia problem and needed surgery and then De Zerbi arrived.
The Italian recently admitted that he had planned to make Kinsky captain for his first game against Sunderland to show his belief in the player. He eventually decided against it and Kinsky went from strength to strength, with save after save to help De Zerbi keep Spurs in the Premier League.
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"I wasn't aware of that," said Kinsky of the captaincy gesture out on the club's summer tour in Australia.
"Honestly, I have to say, I'm quite happy he didn't do it! I think he wanted to encourage me after what happened. On the other hand, I think when he came, he knew me, he knew that I don't need any encouragement.
"All I need is to hear that he is confident in me, trusts in me, and gives me time on the pitch. That was key because I was feeling well in that game. Even after the game, what happened happened.
"I just made sure I continued doing what I'm supposed to do - training well and working hard. This is where my confidence comes from.
"So [being made captain] wouldn't change anything for me. It would just be taking big attention, which at that moment was not necessary. It was more about the club, not me."
De Zerbi told Kinsky in the summer that he would be his number one goalkeeper going forward as Vicario informed the club that he wanted to leave. Kinsky duly signed a bumper new contract.
"It made me happy to hear that. He was clear with me, which made it very easy for me to make the decision [to stay]," said the young Czech.
As well as Kinsky's skills with his hands, he is also excellent with the ball at his feet. De Zerbi is keen to make the most of that.
"I think he can improve in the build-up a lot, but he will reach, for sure, the top," said the Tottenham boss. "With the goalkeeper coach and me, we will create the training just for him to better understand the free player and everything he needs.
"He is very clear with the pass, but he can become faster in the decision in build up. He has all qualities to become one of the best."
With Vicario expected to return to Italy, Kinsky has been joined by veteran former Newcastle stopper Martin Dubravka and the two have instantly bonded.
“It's great, because there is one Czech player in the Premier League, which is me, and one Slovakian player in the Premier League, which is him!" said Kinsky.
"Eventually, we ended up in the same team, which is great because we speak almost the same language.
"In English it's difficult to speak about certain things sometimes, but because he's so similar to me, his background is also similar, he's a goalkeeper, we have so many things to speak about."
So where does Kinsky's confidence come from? The answer is Mr and Mrs Kinsky, with his father, also named Antonin and also a Czech international goalkeeper in his day.
"I think it's the way my parents raised me. Never be too high, never be too low. Always be you. Always believe in yourself, because sometimes you can have good results, sometimes you can have bad results," said Kinsky Jr.
"It's not always dependent on your skill. You can be doing well, but then sometimes maybe it doesn't work, or you can have a good game and still you don’t win, and it can happen for five games in a row. And what then? Will I be asking myself, am I good or am I not?"
He added: "It comes from how my parents raised me to work really hard, then when the tough moments come, you know what you put in, what your qualities are, and if you are able to compete at that level.
"I know what I've been doing since I was young, how hard I was working, how hard I'm working now, and what I'm going for. It's natural for me, but definitely thanks to them, and to one more person in my life, my personal coach.
"His mindset is completely switched on. He’s one of those people who you see, and you are like, ‘Wow, a great person’. A confident person."
That personal coach is Lukas Stransky, who has been working with Kinsky since he was a youngster.
"I call him a personal coach, but he’s my conditioning coach. I’ve worked with him for nine or 10 years. I think the reason we have worked so long is not just the quality of the way we work in the gym, but the quality as a person," said the Spurs stopper.
"When I met him at 14, he impressed me. Of course I didn't tell him from the beginning, but when I saw him, he was such a confident, humble person, with big results behind him, and this is the way I always wanted to be and what I was going for."
Now Kinsky also has a manager in De Zerbi who reinforces that in-built confidence.
“What he says to everyone, what he says to me, definitely gives me confidence. If you don't feel the confidence, you might play a bit more safe. If you feel the confidence, you can play to the best of your ability," said the Czech.
"If I know that he supports me and he believes in me, then of course I feel well on the pitch. In certain situations where there is risk, it makes it easier to take a bit more. Go more to the edge. I think this is sometimes where the difference in the games is made. This is definitely, definitely important."
As he was impressed by Stransky as a youngster so Kinsky has been impressed by De Zerbi now and the way he goes about coaching.
"He forces you to believe in yourself and be the best version on the pitch. Not to try to play safe, not try to play," he explained.
"If I or anyone makes two bad passes or something. The next time maybe I make an easy pass. But [under De Zerbi] no. It's like you made two good passes. If the intention was good, then it's just about the ability.
"Sometimes the ball can bounce or whatever, something can happen. But [we are encouraged to] just play as best as we can and enjoy the game. If you combine these two things, focusing on playing as best you can, and enjoying the game, that enables you to perform at your best level. I think this is always his message, above all the tactics."
Kinsky has previously said that the two key figures in helping him through those tough times after the Madrid mess were his goalkeeper coaches Fabian Otte and Dean Brill.
Brill is an up-and-coming coach while Otte is a fascinating character. Spurs' head of goalkeeping came from Liverpool where he won the Premier League title in the same role under Arne Slot. Otte has a PHD in modern football goalkeeping and is technically a Doctor of Philosophy.
The German also has a Masters in International Marketing and is a constant presence on social media, drilling into the science behind goalkeeping and the coaching methods he employs.
“My job is to play and train and listen to them, not to judge. I will say him and Dean Brill, because Dean was with me since I joined the club, are great people and great coaches," said Kinsky.
"I think what you say [about Otte's PHD] confirms the quality. If you have all these degrees and you work in professional football for such a long time, it speaks for itself.
"I enjoy working with them, and they were definitely key people for me last season. I wasn't playing regularly for seven months, and that’s difficult for every player, especially a keeper, because as a player you maybe get a few minutes every game, but as a keeper you get nothing."
He added: "In those moments, you need to train really well and be happy with yourself from the work on the pitch. I can do whatever I want in the gym and do the work that I'm supposed to do, but if I don't have a good feeling from the pitch, then it's difficult. They made sure I was feeling very well, so I'm very thankful to them."