Antonio Conte has called for patience, but how can Spurs get closer to trophies and finding that consistency required?
Antonio repeated on Sunday that we need patience and we need to work. We think and I think as well that we need time. It's not the moment, the time in the process to speak about how we are close to reach. Everyone, a lot of teams in England can reach for a cup like the EFL Cup or the FA Cup, many teams can do it, but you cannot say before, well maybe only two teams in England, can say 'this year we can win something'.
We are not this type of club. We are a club that needs to work hard and work with passion and have around us a lot of enthusiasm. We need to be clear and use our mind to try to win a competition. We can do it but we need time. We know very well that we are working well because last year we improved a lot, but we cannot say for sure that we will win something.
READ MORE: Antonio Conte lays down ultimatum about his future to the Tottenham supporters and Dier problem
Does this competition represent a real opportunity to get silverware?
Every game we play we want to win. Our decision is taken to try to win every game. We will use the best team to try to win the game against Forest. It will not be easy because we played against them at the start of the season and it was a tough game. They have a big squad because they have a lot of players with similar qualities. They can use them to make changes like us and not drop the level of the team. Our expectation will be this.
The fans have been vocal about Spurs' style of football and it not being attractive to watch, what would you say to them?
I watch many games and in this particular last month it's not easy to find attractive football because many teams, maybe the best teams in this league, but in all the leagues in Europe, we are playing a lot, and you sometimes have to maintain the energy.
Every team has problems and in the last five games I haven't seen many games with attractive football for anyone, maybe only from teams that haven't played in European competition.
We can say that because we know how very difficult it is to dominate the energy in the last month. Liverpool has problems, everyone has problems. We played a great match. We cannot say we didn't play attractive football in the last game. We are happy. Maybe we used a particular time in the game but that's the same for everyone.
How have you assessed the past year, going into the World Cup, you're in the top four and in the next round of the Champions League, will the club, staff and players be happy?
Absolutely, I think everyone has to be happy at the moment. We have two games left to finish and arrive at our target. We started the season and if someone has a different idea, maybe it was good, maybe it was not the right thought because now we are very happy.
We are fourth in the league and we progressed in the Champions League by coming first in our group. It was an important moment for everyone, and to stay at this level or to try to increase the level with need to work with passion and we need passion around us.
Maybe if you think about Antonio, he leads with passion. He lives his job with passion and everyone has to understand that. Top players and top managers need to feel enthusiasm around them.
Does the World Cup break come at a good time in terms of recharging for some players and where you are right now?
We are at a good time, in a good position in the league, we are into the process and we are working hard. It's difficult in football to talk about the future. You have to keep in the present and the present is this. We have to use our mind to think about the game tomorrow and the next game.
Then we will enjoy the World Cup and hope that our players can play a good World Cup and save their body and their talent.
Harry Kane has started every game, is this a good chance for him to rest?
About tomorrow, the decision Antonio will take tomorrow because it is too short a time from the last game to analyse which type of energy the players can use in the next game.
Antonio will speak with all the players and take the right decision for the team but it is an important game and an important competition and we want to win.
Harry is the type of player who wants to play every time though?
Yes and I want to see Harry Kane in every game, but the decision is up to Antonio but I love football and I love to see talented players and Harry Kane is a talented player and in every competition I hope to see him play for Tottenham.
Is the World Cup not a concern for Conte or other clubs when it comes to selection decisions?
We don't have to think about the World Cup, it is not our job. Our job is to take care of our players and to try to use them to reach our targets but also to save the players. We are not crazy, we have to take the right decision with the players sometimes.
What's the latest injury news, Richarlison is back in training isn't he?
Richarlison is back in training from yesterday. We are very happy to see him again with us. He's an available player but thinking that he has only had two days training with the team.
Is Dejan Kulusevski fit enough to start if you need him to?
We lost Kulusevski from the last international break. So it's a long time and we cannot say that Kulusevski can play 90 minutes because it's a long, long time injury, so we have to be careful with this type of injury.
You've worked with Antonio at previous clubs, from the outside he has a reputation that he doesn't stay at one place for too long, could you see him putting down roots at Tottenham for a longer time if the enthusiasm is there?
Yes, absolutely, but never, never Antonio's thought or our thought was to stop a process in the past. It happened, but it happens to everyone. Thinking and passion like he is used to work with is so high and for sure his thinking is every time to do the best with the club's he's working with.
So there is no perfect timing, it's just about a relationship with him and everyone around him. He thinks every time to do the best for the club he works with.
In the past the club has used this competition to give younger players opportunities, the fans are keen to see Djed Spence, could this be a chance for him to feature especially as he knows Forest well?
For our young players, every game is the game because we trust in them, but they are young players. If we think the EFL Cup is an important competition, we need the players who are ready to play this type of game. It's a knockout game and Djed Spence is one of those for sure, because he works hard every day.
But sometimes they need time. Not every player is the same. Sometimes some players that arrive from another league like the Championship and they need more time to be ready, but we are happy with Djed. Really happy because he works hard, but he needs time and we need to take the right decision for him. Sometimes with young players you have to be careful. If you hurry to use this type of player you can create a problem for them. So when will be the right time, Djed Spence will play.
You work with Djed on the training pitches, and with that gap between the Championship and this club, what have you worked with him on?
When you played in the Championship, your step up is so big, that are lot of things to work on. It's about a lot of situations. It's not only technical and tactical, because Djed Spence is working hard and we are happy with him.
But when you can play in a club where it's 'you can win or not win a game, we try the next time', at this level that's not possible. There is only one solution and that's to win the game. It's difficult for a young player or another player who comes from other competitions, like the Championship, to play under pressure and to be ready to play under pressure. It's not about him, it's about young players and different levels of games.
READ NEXT:
Tottenham's January transfer window plans take shape as Antonio Conte suffers with Spurs fans
- Perisic celebration, Levy's new Conte experience - 5 things spotted in Marseille vs Tottenham
- Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund: Who Tottenham can play in Champions League after Marseille win
- Premier League concussion rules explained as Tottenham wait on Son Heung-min injury vs Liverpool
- Son Heung-min hope after surgery and Tottenham's new-found January transfer window power
