Jan Vertonghen

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Vertonghen: Spurs have ‘something special’ under Pochettino

Date published: Monday 11th April 2016 12:33

Mousa-Dembele-Jan-Vertonghen-Tottenham-700x367.jpg

Jan Vertonghen believes Tottenham have a unique chance to achieve something special if Mauricio Pochettino remains in charge as manager.

This has been a season to remember at White Hart Lane, where Spurs have built, who feature highly in our Premier League winners and losers, on a promising first campaign under the former Argentina international by challenging for the title.

Surprise leaders Leicester’s seven-point cushion makes them strong favourites to win the league, but Spurs’ panache and substance has kept them in with a shout.

Sunday’s 3-0 defeat of Champions League hopefuls Manchester United underlined their quality, which the Spurs head coach believes will only improve in the long-term.

Pochettino said it is “impossible to set the limit on just what this group of players could achieve” and Vertonghen agrees wholeheartedly.

“Absolutely,” the two-time Eredivisie champion at Ajax said when asked whether they had the spirit and ability to win the title.

“If you feel the spirit in this team, it is something special at the training ground, in between the players. It’s everywhere.

“If you feel the buzz around the club, it’s something I haven’t experienced before in this way. I am extremely excited. It is something I have never experienced before and we have to keep this together.

“Not just the players, the squad as well, the crowd and then nice things can happen.”

There still remains a chance of silverware this term, although the bookmakers’ odds of 5/1 highlight the challenge Spurs face with five matches left.

The north London club could also soon face the challenge of swatting away interest from Europe’s elite as Pochettino’s standing in the game grows.

Sunday’s win will have certainly caught Manchester United’s eye and Vertonghen believes Pochettino is key to the bright future at White Hart Lane.

“For me it is vital,” he said. “To keep this thing going, he has to stay.

“I think everyone wants him to stay and he feels that – that we want to fight for him and that this team is the best thing for him so I hope he stays.”

The former Argentina defender has almost certainly led Tottenham back into the Champions League, while they are on course to finish above Woolwich for the first time in 21 years.

But it is the title they really want and that is not something they have given up on, despite Leicester’s seven-point buffer.

“We have to believe,” Vertonghen. “I think we showed belief on the pitch and obviously Leicester, compliments to them, but we have to try and chase them.

“For us, personally, it is important to win these games, to show the rest of the Premier League that we don’t give up.

“That we’re there and we’re ready for next season as well. We will try to compete on every level and I think this team is capable of doing that.”

Vertonghen was respectful when asked about Leicester but believes Tottenham are the “best team in the league at the moment” – something he is better placed than many to say.

As well as being part of the group, the Belgium international has spent nearly three months watching from the sidelines due to a knee injury.

Vertonghen’s return got somewhat lost in the excitement of Sunday’s match, with his seamless reintroduction bringing another clean sheet.

“Hard,” the defender said when asked how it has been to watch from the sidelines. “It is quite hard to be injured, especially when they are doing so well.

“When they’re not doing well you want to help them, of course, as well, so it is great to see them do well like this.

“I am very happy with the first game to come back. I am very pleased to be back. I felt very good, very confident. It was a great team to play (with) making it easier for me to come back.”

Vertonghen: Spurs have 'something special' under Pochettino - Football365
 
Amazing interview from Jan on the OS Interviews - tottenhamhotspur.com

Amazing because it is from him, a player who has never sort the limelight and never really put himself forward as a team spokesman. The times he has spoken he has always been brutally honest and at times in the past his honesty in his displeasure for how we have played has perhaps clouded us fans the view of what a top player wants to achieve in his own career and if he can't see himself achieve his own ambitions at our club then we get hurt by the suggestion. But for him to acknowledge this team, the gaffer and talk about the future is light years away from some of his interviews under AVB's last season and Sherwood spell.

For me personally what puts a smile on the face is it is rare you get a modern day footballer that understands what a fan to player connection is and how a connection with the fans is achieved. Harps back to Poch's first interview.
 
Amazing interview from Jan on the OS Interviews - tottenhamhotspur.com

Amazing because it is from him, a player who has never sort the limelight and never really put himself forward as a team spokesman. The times he has spoken he has always been brutally honest and at times in the past his honesty in his displeasure for how we have played has perhaps clouded us fans the view of what a top player wants to achieve in his own career and if he can't see himself achieve his own ambitions at our club then we get hurt by the suggestion. But for him to acknowledge this team, the gaffer and talk about the future is light years away from some of his interviews under AVB's last season and Sherwood spell.

For me personally what puts a smile on the face is it is rare you get a modern day footballer that understands what a fan to player connection is and how a connection with the fans is achieved. Harps back to Poch's first interview.

All Vertonghen has to do now is confirm that he has 'signed da ting' for a few more years.

The positive feeling around the club that Pochettino has built has really helped to harmonise everything. From the way he talked in the early days of his tenure about building a sustainable future and how we the fans can be proud of our club. It all seems to be coming true, ours really is a fairy tale to match that of 'little' Leicester.

It feels like we won't have any players itching to move on to anything bigger or better as right now Tottenham Hotspur Football Club is the place to be.
 
Damn you Jan for standing around minding you own business! That was Sherwood sat in the stands that day!
It was indeed - definitely a low point. Can't believe we almost came back against Benfica under Sherwood. Must have been the team on autopilot.

That whole photo is just a perfect microcosm of those dark days. Look at Eriksen FFS. The team can definitely look quite 'determined' right before an important kick off, but the body language in this photo definitely tells a story.

#ThrowbackThursday remember this?...

 
It was indeed - definitely a low point. Can't believe we almost came back against Benfica under Sherwood. Must have been the team on autopilot.

That whole photo is just a perfect microcosm of those dark days. Look at Eriksen FFS. The team can definitely look quite 'determined' right before an important kick off, but the body language in this photo definitely tells a story.

#ThrowbackThursday remember this?...



Eriksen's dismissal 'yeah what he said' :eriksenserious:

So glad Sherwood is nowhere near our club anymore.
 
It was indeed - definitely a low point. Can't believe we almost came back against Benfica under Sherwood. Must have been the team on autopilot.

That whole photo is just a perfect microcosm of those dark days. Look at Eriksen FFS. The team can definitely look quite 'determined' right before an important kick off, but the body language in this photo definitely tells a story.

#ThrowbackThursday remember this?...



Pure genius.
 
Eriksen's dismissal 'yeah what he said' :eriksenserious:

So glad Sherwood is nowhere near our club anymore.
And this is why it was so important to give Poch some time to get it right. We could have still been going through that revolving managerial door, followed by more transition etc. The guys love him & love playing for him. It's obvious. Those that didn't were dispatched. Now look at where we are.
 
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