Pape Matar Sarr has admitted that he found things quite challenging at Tottenham at the start of this season due to his lack of English, and credited Son Heung-min for helping him to settle at the North London club.
Sarr did not play a single minute during the first part of the campaign but the midfielder has got minutes under his belt over the last month and a half, owing to the injuries that the Lilywhites have had in their midfield ranks.
(Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
The former Metz man insisted that he was always patient and determined to take the opportunities when they arrived.
When asked about his initial struggles for game time, the 20-year-old told Sky Sports: “It’s a team. We have five central midfielders within that team and the coach has to make his decisions.
“I waited my turn because it’s a long season. I’ve worked every day for when the coach needs me and to make sure I have what is necessary, so when the coach calls on me, I don’t disappoint.”
The youngster opened up about the challenges of adapting to life in England and at Spurs, remarking that his lack of English was an issue in communication with his teammates at first.
He continued: “At the start, it wasn’t easy because I came from France and I had trouble understanding and communicating with people on the pitch when I had the urge to do so.
“The others wanted me to adapt to the team, but I didn’t speak much English. It was a bit difficult but now I’m feeling great in this team.”
Sarr revealed that Son, in particular, made him feel at home at Tottenham and went out of his way to put him at ease.
Speaking about the South Korean, he said: “He’s nice, so nice. Even if I say something wrong [in English] he tries to understand it to put me at ease.
“Since the first day I met him, we got on. We have a good friendship, he helps me a lot and gives advice on the pitch and off it. I appreciate that a lot and he’s one of my favourites in the team.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Tottenham are so lucky that their biggest superstars like Kane and Son are extremely humble and nice people as that trickles down to the rest of the dressing room and creates a certain type of environment at the club.
That is perhaps why Conte reiterates all the time that he has a squad of great human beings.
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