The first-team building at Hotspur Way will be a lot quieter this week with the first international break of 2023 taking place. Last taking a pause from domestic football in November and December for the World Cup, Euro 2024 qualifiers are now on the agenda for Spurs' European players.
It means that Tottenham won't be in action for a fortnight, with their next Premier League fixture coming on Monday, April 3 when they travel to Goodison Park to take on Everton. Following Spurs' 3-3 draw at Southampton last weekend, it is very much a game the team need to win after the south coast club dented their Champions League aspirations at St Mary's.
Prior to that match on Merseyside, Antonio Conte and his backroom team will have time to work with those players remaining behind at Hotspur Way. However, as is usually the case during the international break, it will be a staggered return for the majority of Tottenham's international stars as they are playing all across the globe.
READ MORE: Eric Dier reveals what Tottenham keep doing to cause major issues for Antonio Conte's side
In terms of the first nine or ten days of this month's international break, the amount of call-ups and injury issues will result in the Tottenham coaching staff only having a very small number of outfield players to work with. So, who exactly will be staying behind at their Enfield base?
Arnaut Danjuma will be one of those who has the opportunity to work closely with the coaching staff over the next fortnight after missing out on the Netherlands squad for their Euro 2024 qualifiers. An unused substitute in their last five Premier League games and only making four appearances in total for the Lilywhites so far, the 26-year-old can use the time to try and impress Conte.
Fellow attacker Lucas Moura will also be at Hotspur Way as is usually the case during international week as he last featured for Brazil back in October 2018. Defenders Clement Lenglet and Japhet Tanganga are the other fully-fit outfield players staying behind at Hotspur Way, thus meaning that Conte only has four outfield players to get down to business with before he includes shot-stoppers Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman in his numbers.
Richarlison and Ben Davies, who have now missed out on international duty for Brazil and Wales, respectively, after coming off in the first-half against Southampton, could possibly bolster the numbers prior to the Everton game but that will all depend on the severity of their injuries and how long they will actually be out for. Speaking to SPURSPLAY ahead of the Southampton match, Conte did indicate that Ryan Sessegnon and Yves Bissouma still have some time to go in their recovery as they won't be ready to return to match action immediately after the international break.
The head coach did also mention that he's not quite sure on Hugo Lloris' return and that he may not be ready. Rodrigo Bentancur is a long-term absentee after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the 4-1 defeat at Leicester City in February.
Not exactly an ideal scenario at present for the Tottenham coaching staff given the team's current woes, academy players will have to be called upon to bulk up the numbers before the rest of the first-team squad return at various points next week.
One thing for sure is that it is going to be an important fortnight for the club after what happened on the south coast on Saturday afternoon.
Staying behind at Hotspur Way: Brandon Austin, Alfie Whiteman, Clement Lenglet, Japhet Tanganga, Arnaut Danjuma, Lucas Moura
In the treatment room: Hugo Lloris, Ryan Sessegnon, Ben Davies, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison
On international duty: Fraser Forster, Davinson Sanchez, Cristian Romero, Eric Dier, Emerson Royal, Pedro Porro, Oliver Skipp, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Pape Matar Sarr, Ivan Perisic, Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, Harry Kane
READ NEXT:
The truths and flaws in Antonio Conte's explosive Tottenham tirade and Daniel Levy's decision
The new partnership forming at Tottenham and Antonio Conte's role in shaping their future
Jamie Carragher uses Arsenal point to deliver brutal Antonio Conte and Tottenham verdict
Every word of Antonio Conte's remarkable and furious press conference about Tottenham
Conte angered by Porro and Davies, Perisic relief - 5 things spotted in Southampton vs Tottenham
