What's the latest team news as we hear Harry Kane isn't well?
If you remember the last game against Burnley we had four cases with stomach problems. This week I have to be honest we had a couple of cases about this, but we overcame this situation. Also members of the staff for one day they were not feeling so good. I don't know why but the last week and also this week we faced this situation. In this moment honestly this virus is the last of our problems because we are very close to reach a big achievement for the club, for our fans, for the players. We are totally focused on the game and the situation of the players, the availability, is the same as the last game against Burnley.
Will Harry Kane be ok for Sunday?
Yeah for sure. Also because in the last game we had Deki (Kulusevski) had this problem - he didn’t have training with us on Saturday but on Sunday he was good to play. For sure Harry doesn’t want to miss this type of game. This game means a lot for everybody.
Are you worried about a repeat of lasagne-gate in 2006?
I don't want to know this story. It’s not a lucky story. I’m not interested to know! (Laughs) To go deep in this story. We are in a good moment of form this week and the team worked very well this week, we prepared very well. We have to be focused, to be concentrated 100% for this last game because you know very well because I don't know how many times I repeat it but in England there are no easy games. I remember in my experience as a player I had a last game lucky situation and an unlucky situation.
READ MORE: The truth about Paulo Dybala to Tottenham transfer and the strikers on Fabio Paratici wishlist
Football is beautiful also for this but for this reason we have to have the right focus. We are understanding very well the moment, the importance of the moment. The whole season is behind this game, and we can reach something amazing for us because I think no one could imagine Tottenham in the top four this season. This must be a big push for us because we work very hard and we deserve to stay in this position. And now everything is in our hands, not in the hands of the others. And for this reason we want to get it.
When you arrived in November, no one gave you a chance of getting in the top four, what would it mean if you could get it?
To finish in the top four it means a lot for everybody because top players, top coaches and top clubs want to play this competition and not other competitions. To have this opportunity is vital for us for many reasons. The club receive money to participate in this competition which is very important. We have to try to do all our best and if we remember the way that we started in November for sure it is a big achievement for the improvement this team did. At the same time it is important that we don’t forget our path, it was a difficult path. It is important for the club to understand what we did together but not without problems.
Would you make Harry Kane give Son a penalty as he is chasing the Golden Boot?
Before there is the interest of the team and Harry Kane is our player who has to kick. If there is this opportunity Kane has to kick. Then I am pleased for Sonny, he deserves to stay in this position, but don’t forget the first interest is the target of the team not personal target, the personal target comes later. If we are good to match both situations I am the first to be happy, but I repeat, I know Sonny thinks my way because he is a really good guy, he is a smart person, a very intelligent person. I am the first person to be happy to have a player in my team win the Golden Boot, I am the first. But if you ask me to pick one of these two, you know which is my answer. I also know Sonny’s answer.
Are you aware of the phrase 'Spursy'?
I am trying to cut this. We have to show on Sunday the development in this aspect. I don’t forget in the past what happened, I remember Manchester City in the last game when they were losing against QPR…in England it is not easy. I remember when City lost the FA Cup against Wigan. Football is beautiful especially for this reasons. You start 0-0 if you don’t start with the right concentration and focus anything can happen.
We know very well the importance of the game we prepare very well and the focus has to be massive for everybody, if someone thinks the situation is easy I am not that person and I don’t transfer these thoughts to my players. Football is beautiful for this reason because it is unpredictable, if you don’t go with 100 per cent focus you risk to lose, especially in England. Everton and Crystal Palace was incredible, 2-0…we have to pay attention but we work a lot to arrive mentally strong at this appointment.
What are you expecting from Norwich in their final game in the Premier League?
My expectation to face a team that want to try to play a good game, this is their last game in the Premier League this season for them. I think they want to play a good game and to try to make our life tough. In their last game, they drew 1-1 and for this reason Wolverhampton can go to the Conference League. They have to play their game and the most important thing is that we need to know this, we have to play our game because the target for us is very important and we have to try to do it.
Do you feel like your players are mentally stronger than when you joined?
I think in this aspect we improved it a lot from the start until the end of the season. I don’t forget when I arrived my first game was against Vitesse we were winning 2-0 and in 10 minutes 3-2 and a red card for us, 10 men against 11. If you remember. I don’t forget! I said in my mind I don’t want to go crazy (laughs) with this type of situation for you show to be not stable.
I don’t like a team that doesn’t show stability. You win and you lose but when you lose you have to be strong and to know what happen during the game.
My first game was really emotional but in a bad way not in a positive way. I think from that we worked a lot. We had many steps, sometimes we had bad steps like Burnley if you remember away we lost 1-0 after a win against Manchester City but I think it was part of the process with the players. Now I think that we improved a lot in many aspects and for this reason we are fighting for a place in the Champions League. Otherwise our position would have been lower this season.
Did you avoid the illness?
In my staff only one person had this problem and we kept him at home, but it's a problem that lasts one or two days and then you are okay. Also the medical department, they try to take care of it, with vitamins. This problem in that moment we have to face, but in my mind it is not a problem. We are ready, we are ready to fight and to try and get a good result on Sunday.
Is there any chance Cristian Romero might be involved?
No, Romero had a traumatic injury. I said to you that he is not available. We have the same players as the last game against Burnley. The same players, not less, not more. We have to be ready to fight and try to get the result.
What was the transformation like after Burnley away?
I think that there are different movements during the season in positive moments and in negative moments.
But you have to always try the right keys to make these moments in the right way especially when these moments, like Burnley because at Burnley I was quite angry but not for the performance.
Because the performance was not so bad but because after a win against City now the expectations was that now the confidence is high we are ready to start and to try to to be in the race for something important. Instead, to have a negative answer after City was a big big disappointment for me and it was the right moment also for me to make the question to myself on if I was working and pushing the players in the right way.
For this reason I went strong before with myself and then with the players to try to create a situation and to give more pressure and to bring these players to fight for another season not to stay in the middle to have up and down and up and down because up and down is not useful for anybody, and I think that I had a good answer after this game. After this we lost a game but it doesn't mean that when you lose your bad.
Why do you think it worked then?
I think that we showed to be more stable in every situation on the pitch and mentally and it was important to go to another level. Also I have seen my players ask themselves to improve and they decide to improve and to ask more of themselves. I have seen this in the last part of the season after that defeat and after my press conference, and after that I did not want excuses.
