Tottenham's pre-season tour of South Korea is brought to you in association with Nord VPN, sponsors of football.london's coverage.
Not so much of a friendly
You could tell Antonio Conte wanted this kind of match during the pre-season tour. This was no friendly and it was better preparation for his players than a simple case of going through the motions.
As you would expect with any team containing Erik Lamela, there was blood, tough tackles, pressing high up the pitch and a half-time scrap on the pitch with the South American boys Richarlison and Cristian Romero protecting Son Heung-min.
Tottenham's new £60m Brazilian has quickly struck up a friendship with the South Korean star which has only endeared him to the passionate home fans that little bit more.
READ MORE: Son Heung-min explains what has already happened between him and 'quality' Richarlison
The increased intensity against Sevilla at this stage of a short pre-season will benefit Spurs and the matches against Rangers and Roma will bring similar experiences. With the age-old Scotland-England rivalry, the Glasgow side are not going to go easy on their visitors from south of the border.
Conte indicated that that was exactly what he had planned for with this Tottenham pre-season schedule.
"We played two friendlies. Maybe the first game was friendly, today I think it was a higher game, but that's very important, also it is in my strategy to have this type of game in the middle of the work," said the Italian.
"Many players today were a bit tired. When they arrive every day with another session it’s not simple, but for me it's good because they are a bit tired they have to collaborate to create a union in the difficulty. I think I had a good response today in a real game against Sevilla. It was a real game."
He added: "Now we come back to London and after two days of rest we start again with double sessions and then we have another tough game against Rangers. We continue to work on the tactical and physical aspects because want to prepare very well for this season.
"At the same time today it was pleasing to see my team bring high pressure and to run. For sure we have to try to improve in the possession because I think we lost balls that were dangerous but I think it’s normal because we start to feel the fatigue.
"At the same time it is very important to in the moment you feel the fatigue to play a game like this. Today a game like this helps you to improve the team and also the mentality because Sevilla were very strong and they played a real game and we did the same."
The Tottenham players will be grateful to have Sunday and Monday off from Conte's gruelling sessions but they will return without mercy on Tuesday to the pitches of Hotspur Way where Gian Piero Ventrone and his fellow fitness coaches will continue to push the players to their limits.
They will be joined by Clement Lenglet, who has been working hard this week at the Enfield training complex in order to be ready for what is to come under Conte and his staff. Djed Spence will also join them when his announcement finally comes.
The Korea trip was a huge success on and off the field for Tottenham. Conte has moaned after pre-season tours in the past but this time he meticulously planned his team's training, minutes they would play in matches and even when and where certain players could attend sponsor and fan events to ensure the optimum recovery periods in between sessions.
Whether it all worked will swiftly become clear from August 6 onwards.
Conte's strange timing and the Spence announcement
Some fans were calling on Lucas Moura to be used as a wing-back within Conte's system last season when Matt Doherty was still having teething issues and later when he was injured and also with Emerson Royal not presenting a natural fit for the attacking qualities required for the role.
However, whenever quizzed about the possibility of playing Lucas in the role, Conte would always seem to swerve the subject. The only attacking player he really ever mentioned in passing for the gig was Dejan Kulusevski, stating that the Swede had played there in the past.
So the timing seems strange that when Spurs are about to add a third right wing-back to their squad, so Conte finally talked up the potential of playing Lucas in the position. It was understandable for him to get the job in this match, with Matt Doherty playing on the left in both games due to Ivan Perisic's absence and only he and Emerson were the fit senior wing-backs for the second half.
Yet it was the fulsome praise for Lucas' efforts in the role that seemed interestingly timed from a man known as the wing-back whisperer for his efforts in converted players for the job.
"I spoke with Lucas and I think that this will be a good option for me and in the past I converted Perisic in that position. [Victor] Moses was the same. [Antonio] Candreva was the same," he said. "Before a winger and then to become a wing-back. For sure he has great quality Lucas and I think this could be a good option.
"The most important thing is that the player has to be 100 per cent sure to do it, but he is available and Lucas Moura for us is a great resource because he can play in many roles. He can play behind the striker, on the right, on the left, as a wing back. I'm very happy for his commitment for what I'm seeing in the training sessions and tonight I think he played a good game."
It was only 45 minutes but the performance showed some promise. Lucas is not a tackler but he is good in the air and contributed one good defensive header in particular from a cross, while linking up with his compatriot Richarlison down the right-hand side to good effect.
We have seen the Brazilian used as a deeper wide man before, most notably during the north London derby victory under Jose Mourinho in an empty stadium during the pandemic when Lucas starred with terrific work-rate as an auxiliary left-back in front of Ben Davies. That was a one-off though.
Conte's comments that any player has to be 100 per cent sure to convert is an interesting one. The Italian has previously said that when he first suggested the switch to Perisic, the Croatian was unsure about it and it was only after his loan season at Bayern Munich that he felt confident he could make the change.
Perhaps Lucas feels the same as Perisic does, but his desire to play anywhere to get minutes ensured he took on the job on Saturday despite it restraining his tendencies to burst forward.
It's the timing of it that feels unexpected. Last season nobody would have blinked an eyelid at Conte turning to Lucas, but on the eve of announcing the signing of your third player in the role it's certainly seems like sending a message to somebody.
Djed Spence will officially complete his transfer to the club early this week with football.london understanding the deal is still to be formally finalised with the last bits of paperwork to be signed. The wing-back has completed his medical and even undertaken his media duties with his new club and with that paperwork the last thing to be signed off there is a chance his signing may not be announced until at some point on Monday.
His transfer from Middlesbrough fits the club's usual profile more than the five players already signed this summer. They were all ready-made top level arrivals and the type of player Conte would have asked for personally.
The 21-year-old is yet to play a Premier League match and is in the mould of Spurs' transfers of old. Young, British, a bit of gamble but one that could reap huge rewards thanks to his potential.
At a price of £12.5m, with another £7.5m in future potential add-ons, it's a good deal for all parties and adds to the club's dwindling homegrown numbers. Spurs' managing director of football Fabio Paratici watched Spence in person to decide on his suitability for Conte's team.
Conte will appreciate Spence's attributes with his skill, power, height and pace and while he may be the unknown package in the Tottenham transfer bonanza, the Italian's ability to improve players means he could the biggest surprise of the bunch in a role he shone in for Nottingham Forest last season.
Not too long ago Spurs had two of Europe's best full-backs in the British pairing of Kyle Walker and Danny Rose and the north London club will be hoping that they can repeat the trick with England U21 team-mates Spence and Ryan Sessegnon as wing-backs.
Perisic will be the perfect role model for the latter while Doherty's versatility, more natural wing-back ability and lesser value in the market could see him remain at the club over Emerson and for now there are too many options on the right, particularly with Conte's sudden and belated idea to convert Lucas.
The Covid duo and club policy
While the Tottenham squad left Seoul on Sunday afternoon through a Terminal 2 packed with Korean fans desperate to say farewell at Incheon International Airport, three of the party remained.
Yves Bissouma and Fraser Forster will not fly back to the UK until Tuesday morning when their isolation ends in South Korea, with a member of the medical staff remaining behind to accompany them.
Korean entry requirements dictate that you must perform a Covid test before departure to the country and then a PCR test within 72 hours of arriving in South Korea. The entire Spurs squad underwent both tests but both of Bissouma and Forster's arrival ones on Tuesday last week returned positive results.
When asked by football.london about the ankle injury picked up by Ben Davies towards the end of the draw against Sevilla, Conte also gave an update on when he hopes to see Bissouma and Forster back in training as well as the progress of Perisic.
"Ben finished the game with a bit of pain in his ankle. Honestly I hope that’s nothing serious. The rest of the team is okay," he said.
"We have still Bissouma and Fraser with Covid but next week, on Wednesday, they will come in London and start to work with us. The others are in good physical condition. Perisic I think and I hope in the next game against Glasgow to give him 20 or 30 minutes."
For Bissouma and Forster their excitement at joining Tottenham has suffered this ill-timed setback. The two new signings have had to isolate - albeit in the luxury of the team's hotel in Seoul - and have been allowed fitness equipment in their room in order to maintain some semblance of fitness.
For Bissouma especially though it will be nothing close to the transformative fitness work the former Brighton midfielder was being put through by Conte on the training pitches this week. The duo missed the 6-3 victory against Team K League and Saturday's 1-1 draw against Sevilla at the Suwon World Cup Stadium.
They will arrive back in the UK on Tuesday evening before returning to link up with the rest of the squad at Hotspur Way on Wednesday.
It is Bissouma's second bout of Covid, having had it early in the pandemic, while it is Forster's first experience of the virus.
This season will be another affected by Covid and the subsequent absences for football teams, particularly with new variants constantly emerging. Long-term effects of the virus will also need to be monitored, particularly for top level athletes who require the utmost stamina levels.
football.london understands that Spurs are one of a number of clubs who expect new signings to have been vaccinated before any deal can be done, in order to do everything possible to mitigate any potential problems down the line that the virus can cause. So in essence, no vaccination, no transfer.
It will be fascinating to see how Covid changes the sporting landscape as the world adjusts and what it means for contracts, insurance and major business decisions over multi-million pound assets, let alone the medical and ethical side of it all.
The huge financial impact of Spurs' Korea tour
Tottenham's tour to South Korea only lasted seven days but the impact of it will be felt for years to come.
Spurs took 107 people with them to Seoul, including the players, coaching and fitness staff, medical and sports science team, their social media, communications and marketing staff, global coaches as well as various members of the club's hierarchy. They all stayed at one of the finest hotels South Korea has to offer.
Yet their involvement in the Coupang Series and the long-reaching effects of this tour means any expense incurred will be negligible compared to the immediate and long-term financial gains from their week in Korea.
Son Heung-min of course holds the key to all. It's easy to underestimate exactly what it looks like when one man captivates a nation as the South Korea captain does. He's the perfect role model, one of the world's most talented players and millions of his compatriots adore the Premier League Golden Boot winner. He is a national hero.
Hundreds upon hundreds of people at the airport cheered as they watched him greet the team as Conte, Kane & Co arrived and they did so again when he left with them a week later. K-Pop stars arrived at events and the team hotel simply to try to get photos with him. Yet that is merely the tip of the iceberg.
To put it into context, Spurs are the most watched and best supported overseas club in South Korea. The population of the country is 51 million and of that a staggering 12 million say they are Tottenham fans.
Spurs' match on Wednesday night against Team K-League was streamed online by two million people, making it the single biggest streamed sporting event in Korean history. The numbers for the match against Sevilla were expected to hit similar numbers.
In the two stadiums, 108,000 people were in the crowd across the two games. The 64,000 tickets for the Seoul World Cup Stadium sold out in 25 minutes, the 44,000 in Suwon were gone in 20.
At one of the stalls at the game on Saturday, Spurs' sponsors AIA had 500 people queuing for around an hour to have their photo taken with merely cardboard cut-outs of the players, including Son, just to be in with a chance of winning a scarf or a hat.
Sonnymania is astonishing to witness. Those who have seen the effects of both believe Son is a bigger brand in Asia than David Beckham was at his height across the world.
Spurs' chief financial officer, the Boston-born Todd Kline, was on the tour in Korea with the club, utilising his experience in the NFL and with AEG to maximise the club's remarkable popularity in the country to ensure it is not only all about Son but also an opportunity to create generations of fans who follow the club for decades to come.
On a single matchdays in the club shop at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the club can sell 700 ‘Son 7’ shirts, but to suggest that Korean fans only care about Son would be to do them a disservice.
You only have to look at the popularity of the players around him to see that when they are spotted in South Korea and the chants around the Suwon World Cup Stadium were many of those you would find every other week at Tottenham's home across the world.
The official Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Club of South Korea were handing out fans to cool the supporters. They had Antonio Conte's face on one side and the words to various club chants on the other.
That the fans welcoming the team at the airport had such niche shirts held up as an Oliver Skipp Norwich shirt from his loan spell there and a sign for Cristian 'Cuti' Romero which read "Cuti Cutie", showed that this can be a lasting legacy built off the back of Son's popularity.
They cheered when Conte appeared on the big screens at matches and, after the crowd sang his name, the Italian's applause back to them brought one of the biggest roars of the tour.
That is where Kline's expertise comes in and the market is vast for him to do his work within as Spurs' star rises in tow with Son's.
The north London club are the second most followed football team on TikTok, behind only Real Madrid. They recently passed 200 million impressions on the social media platform and 178 million of those were from South Korea, helped by Son's presence.
South Korea has become Tottenham's second biggest e-commerce market behind the UK, with the year to date sales only half of the UK and nearly twice as big as the USA.
Spurs have seized on the opportunity with initiative such as making the postage and packing costs similar to those offered in the UK and both matches in Seoul were watched by crowds mostly wearing one of the club's shirts, many of them the recently-released new season versions.
Despite his status, Son is as humble as they come and he was so honoured that Spurs came to his country and brought everyone for a full tour in front of his people that he welcomed them all with personal gifts waiting in their rooms at the hotel, complete with a personal note expressing his gratitude.
He gave everyone clothing from his new NOS7 range and even the normally-suited Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was spotted wearing his t-shirt from the collection around the hotel and nearby shopping mall.
"It’s incredible. The fans, the love… we’re feeling the love the fans are giving us," said Son. "I’ve been here with Leverkusen and also Hamburg, but with Spurs I think it’s more special because the fans are more interested in our football and the big players. I’m just so grateful that everyone loves us, loves the Spurs and loves the team."
Son also paid the bill when he took his team-mates out for a night of traditional Korean barbecue in Seoul on Thursday evening, with captain Hugo Lloris telling football.london that it was the shared 'good moment' the squad had needed to bond and relax from the hustle and bustle of their schedule.
The two Covid cases aside, Tottenham's tour was a major success on and off the pitch. When almost a quarter of a country supports one team the knock-on effects to future generations are huge and this tour only rubber-stamped that growth.
The biggest, most powerful teams in the world are those who are the most marketable money-makers, the ones who can plough their huge revenues back into the football side of the club to only enhance that appeal with what they are doing on the pitch.
Spurs are back in the Champions League and have a superstar manager in Conte at the helm. This is the crossroad point in their development as a wannabe super club and while the regular UK fan might not see the sense in such tours, they are part of the machine that can take their club to where they want it to be. Football has come a long way and the Premier Machine is its most marketable beast.
Son Heung-min has opened the door for Spurs to one of the most passionate and lucrative fanbases in the game and the future rewards could be endless if they can harness it in the right way.
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