Here's every single word the Tottenham Hotspur head coach said after the penalty shoot-out victory against Sydney in pre-season
Roberto De Zerbi was asked plenty of questions in his press conference in Australia after Tottenham came away with a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win following a 1-1 draw with Sydney FC.
Mathys Tel who opened the scoring for Spurs with a pinpoint free-kick 29 minutes in, curling the ball into the top right corner of the net.
Sydney equalised 10 minutes into the second half as Spurs substitute Kota Takai made an interception which turned into a perfect pass for Takahiro Sekine, who ran through and scored.
Luca Williams-Barnett, Sandro Tonali, Andy Robertson and Dane Scarlett then all scored their spot kicks in the shoot-out to ensure Spurs won on the night.
Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to De Zerbi after the game. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at the Allianz Stadium.
How difficult has it been to mix and match with different players able to play different amount of minutes and some like Fernandes needing rest?
Yes, it's not so easy because we have to be focused, we don't take risks, we have to manage the unit, to give the players, every player has a different plan, but I think we are working well.
The young players are doing very well, they give us more solutions, and this period of the season is very important to improve the physical condition, the quality of the play, but we can't take risks to lose any player because now it would be bad news, bad feeling.
Have you spoken to Lucas Bergvall yet about his future as you started him today?
I’m always being very clear with him and with you. I would like that he stays with us. I think he’s potentially a top top top player. But then I don’t want to convince anyone to stay. Tottenham is already, without me, a top club and we are not to convince anyone to stay. He can find the space if he stays with us. The competition within the players will be very strong because we are Tottenham and we have to build a strong squad. Not just 11 players. Especially considering a lot of injuries we suffered in the last two, three seasons. Football is going in a clear direction – to compete for the highest places in the table, you have to manage 22, 23, 24 players. I don’t want 24, but 21, 22, of a high level, for sure.
Has he told you he wants to leave?
No, never. I am speaking with him before the end of the last season. During the World Cup two times. But now we are speaking better, face to face, without a competition in this moment. Now I started to work, like I know, my style. In the last season we prepared the game, we worked in the head, on the mentality, more than the style of play. His position is very clear for me now. I needed time to understand the characteristics of the players. But I would like that he stays with us. He’s very young, a very good player, a good guy. It’s not so easy so fast to find a young player of that level.
You played with a double pivot tonight but one defensive midfielder at the base last time, are you looking at different options?
Our pivot we can stay in our half of the pitch, and also when we stay higher, but nothing changed has changed compared to the other games. We have to respect the characteristics of the players, because Lucas and Sandro, they can stay higher in the pocket, they can stay wider as a midfield opener, or they can stay like double pivot. Nothing changed. I think if we change position during the game, it is the best solution because the opponent can be not so comfortable to find a reference.
What did you make of Luca Williams-Barnett today and his penalty?
We have to manage him like a precious diamond. We have to help him to improve in the last decision. Physically, work harder to become stronger because this time of football, he needs to be strong, and to give him space when there is the right moment. I usually give time to all the young players I work with in my career, and he is a potential special player.
With the World Cup players and others is it about load management?
Danso, Van de Ven, Solanke, JP van Hecke, I thought today they were not yet ready to play without risk. Maybe some of them can play the next game Saturday with Chelsea, maybe not at the beginning. Maybe in the beginning Robertson and Sandro Tonali, but it’s the management of the players, especially after World Cup or after big injuries like Udogie or Solanke. They suffered long injuries last season, and after a long trip, after the jet lag, after the beginning of the pre-season, I wouldn't like to take any risk.
You didn't mention Mateus Fernandes?
Just fatigue, the calf. Also for him we took the decision to not take any risk and to recover. But next Wednesday when we start the pre-season in London, he will be ready to work.
You said that Lucas hasn't told you that he wants to leave, have you picked up a feeling on where he is?
It’s very clear, his idea. He wants space. He wants to play as a double pivot as a position. I can’t give, for any player in the world, the place in the first XI guaranteed. Especially for me. I want to be honest with the players. I want to be clear. I don’t want to make the first mistake. In terms of position, I can’t give guarantee.
It’s right when he wants to play as a central midfielder. But to play as a central midfielder, sometimes it is to attack, sometimes to keep the holder, to move the ball faster. He has to improve. He’s a 2006. I would like that he stays. I would like that he stays. But if he doesn’t want, then what can I do? Nothing. He has to speak with Vinai [Venkatesham] or Johan Lange. To stay with us, we have to have the right spirit to stay. He’s a good guy. We will see in the next weeks.
I know it's quite difficult at the moment where players get certain minutes and injuries and building fitness, but where do you think your squad is at in terms of readiness, discipline and where do you need to spend it?
No, no, the physical condition is not the same for every player, some players are ready to play 70 minutes, 80 minutes, maybe Archie Gray… I don't know, Ben Davies, Mateus Fernandes, even today he didn't play and some are going in the right direction, Tonali, Gallagher. Gallagher is another player who is able to play 80 minutes. Like Mathys Tel, like Richarlison, Manor Salomon and other players. They are working to increase their condition, but I think all teams, also Chelsea, also Liverpool or other teams with a lot of players who played in the World Cup, I think they are spending the same time.
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Can I ask you a bit of a random question, it's about FIFA and the situation with that, it's causing some issues, the idea that the World Cup could become a commercial operation....
Listen, I'm not the right person to speak about FIFA, what can I say, I say I didn't like a lot of decisions of FIFA in the last couple of years, but it's my personal opinion in general.
What did you make of Sydney?
I think they played very well, I spoke with their coach to make a congratulation because they played very well, they have a very clear style, in a difficult country, because in Australia, football is not the most important sport, but I'm happy because in other countries, so far from Europe, there is a team who play, who want to play, who want to keep the ball with a clear style, with a big organisation.
Did any of their young players take your attention?
Listen, when I play, I have my focus on my players, it's tough to analyse the performance of my players, but there are a lot of good young players in Sydney.