Another slow start but a positive response, should you have taken at least a point from that game?
Before I answer the question, Jurgen was happy with the way that we played tonight? Yeah? It was important to know his opinion. Jurgen is a really good coach but at the end tonight we are talking about a defeat and I'm happy with the game that we played at Anfield. The final result was 1-1 and it was better.
About the performance, I have to be happy. I have to consider the whole game and you ask me about the first half and it was a positive first half and then for sure if you say 'but your team was 2-0 down', that’s true. But I think also in the first half the attitude was we were prepared to put pressure high and we conceded the second goal for this reason because we put a lot of pressure, a long ball and when you do that the risk for defenders is big. I think Eric was unlucky in this situation. Also, in the first half we create chances, we hit the post and we had the chance to score. We played an open game because we wanted to create difficulty to Liverpool, but we were 2-0 down in the end of the first half.
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In the dressing room I can tell you that I didn’t say anything negative to my players. I said we have to continue this way, we are 2-0 down but we have to continue to do what we prepared, with the right intensity, to move the ball more quickly, to move it from one side to the other side to create more problems. I knew that with the wing-backs we could create difficulties to Liverpool.
Then in the second half we scored, with another crossbar. I think Alisson was the best player for Liverpool.
There is disappointment for the final result but at the same time we have to take this example for my players, because despite the difficulty to play without many important players, we showed that we can play good football and to get a good result against a team like Liverpool who in the last few years have dominated in the Premier League and Champions League.
The fans did boo though after the first half, what did you make of that?
First of all I think that we have to show in every moment great respect for our fans because they are our fans, they pay the ticket. At the same time, if you ask me if I was a bit disappointed? Yes.
Yes because it is important in every moment to be honest. I think I continue to repeat always the same situation from the start of the season and I say we have just started a process. I think after one year we made a lot of improvement. If someone thinks that we are already ready to win, I have to be honest with you and tell you it will be really, really, difficult. Because when you start and Liverpool is a good example, when you start a process, you need time and patience. If we understand this, time and patience, everybody is okay. Otherwise we can lose the passion and we can lose the enthusiasm.
Then I repeat I don't see another way for the way we are doing. For this reason I want to be really honest. I can't promise in this moment to win trophies for our fans because in this moment we are far to do it. Then if it happen in domestic league, then it would be a super plus because I repeat I continue to ask for time and patience because I have the experience to tell that we are far from other teams that are used to winning and have squads strong to win. If we understand together this, it would be good.
Otherwise I repeat everybody wants to win, I am the first that wants to win but we need time and patience. If everybody knows we have time and patience, it is okay. Otherwise I think we continue this season and we will see at the end what happened.
The fans were happy to see Dejan Kulusevski back, I'm sure you were too?
The fans were happy but I was first to be happy. Kulusevski, he missed a lot and Moura missed a lot. Richarlison is missing a lot. Now we lost Sonny. When a club like Tottenham loses all these important players it’s not like the other clubs.
I hear someone say every team has injuries, yes but it depends which players you have injured. Tottenham can’t afford to lose all these important players. I think so. If you ask me whether we are able to manage the situation I think we are doing this.
We are managing the situation in the best possible way. We finished Champions League first [in the group] and for many people that was normal despite last season, Conference League we dropped out in the group.
I think that we have to be calm and assess very well the situation of Tottenham and see what the situation was one year ago. Otherwise I repeat we risk losing enthusiasm and passion. We have to know that to stay in this position now there is a project, there is a vision, the club knows very well the way to try to improve, but we have to be enthusiastic, everybody, because for me if I don't find the passion and enthusiasm , ok we can work a lot but for me the passion and enthusiasm is my fuel. I need to have this. It’s very, very important for me.
Do you have an update on Son's chances of playing in the World Cup and have you spoken to his international manager?
No with Sonny, I sent him a message yesterday after the surgery and Sonny was really, really disappointed for this situation but I hope for him he will recover very well and play in the World Cup.
I was a player and I know the importance of playing in the World Cup. Tonight he was the first person to play this game, for sure he missed us. I am confident, confident that he can come back quickly and play the World Cup for South Korea.
Is he still in hospital?
No, now he is at home.
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