Emerson Royal has admitted finding out that he is going to be a father helped him return to his "highest level of performance". Joining Tottenham from Barcelona in the summer of 2021, the Brazilian endured a really difficult start to life in north London as he tried to adapt to playing as a right wing-back having always operated as a right-back throughout his career.
Amid some low points for the ex-Real Betis man, notably in the 4-3 win over Leeds United in November where he was booed by his own supporters, he has really turned a corner in 2023 and delivered some very impressive performances for the Lilywhites and also contributed with goals. Discovering on his birthday in January that he and his fiancée are expecting a baby, Emerson has revealed that the news completely changed his mindset and his performances profited as a result.
"It's a bit of everything, I went through many moments within the club. This last year has been a lot of learning for me," admitted the right wing-back in an interview with Globo Esporte. "On my birthday, after the loss to Arsenal, a tough day for me, I got the news that I was going to be a father. It was the day that my life changed completely, it was when I returned to my highest level of performance.
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"I always had the dream of being a father and after receiving this news from my fiancée, I ended up changing my mindset and started thinking that it wasn't just for me that I was doing it, now there are two people who depend on me.
"I don't know how, a lot of people ask me how it happened, because it was the next day that I already changed, it was the week of the game against [Man] City that I scored the goal. It was simply going into the field and thinking about my son, my future wife. That's why I say that I'm living a new phase."
Delivering his best displays in a Tottenham shirt in the first few months of 2023, Emerson was in the team on merit and deserving of all the plaudits coming his way. The player has admitted that his role has changed recently as he is now playing more inside and trying to help link things up from there rather than sticking to the touchline.
"At Tottenham I play this very acute role, occupying the edge of the field, but in the last five or six games I changed the characteristic in relation to what [Antonio] Conte usually does, which is the spiked winger," said the former Barcelona man. "In the last few games I've been more on the inside, being a passing option between the lines, building the game from the inside.
"I've always had this characteristic, when I go to the favela and play a game with friends, I always play in the middle or in the attack. I was always used to this role in the middle or in the attack. But it was always misunderstood, I heard the press saying that I couldn't play in construction."
Always going to take time to settle into life in England, Emerson is loving life in the capital and is now fully up to speed with the language. What makes his adaptation to the language even more impressive is that he didn't take any English classes upon moving to the country.
"As for the climate, getting used to the cold is very difficult, my body was not born for the cold, no. But I feel much less than when I arrived," he said. "As for the language, I learned it. Honestly, I didn't take an English class. People are amazed when I say I didn't study.
"Obviously, I'm not a professional in the language, but I can already communicate well, people say that I'm advanced, mainly on the field I communicate 100%. I can speak everything, understand everything, instruct as well. It's more listening and practicing on a daily basis, we get it. When you learn the language, it facilitates understanding on the pitch."
It's an area he trumps fellow countryman Richarlison in, although the attacker doesn't believe that is the case.
"I sure do. Richarlison has been here six years and says he speaks better English than I do," joked Emerson. "I'm like, "Richarlison, I've been here a year and a half and I beat you by ten." He doesn't know anything."
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