Speaking about his first call-up to the Dutch senior team, Micky van de Ven has also taken time to discuss the conversations he has had with his club manager, Ange Postecoglou.
With the Spurs defence crying out for reinforcements this summer, it has been somewhat surprising that Micky van de Ven was the only real addition to the backline.
While another centre-back is needed at Spurs, it’s safe to say van de Ven has been a welcome addition. Indeed, the Dutchman has slotted in perfectly to the defence alongside Cristian Romero.
The 22-year-old was identified by data analysts as being fit for Ange Postecoglou‘s possession-based, attacking system (Football.London). Clearly, the data was correct, as with five games under his belt, van de Ven has impressed many.
Postecoglou previously spoke about why he signed van de Ven, praising the ‘attributes’ he brings to Spurs and how he expects the defender to ‘challenge himself’ at the club (Football.London).
(Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
What did Postecoglou say to Micky van de Ven?
Now, Micky van de Ven has revealed the details of what Postecoglou said to him prior to joining Spurs.
In an interview with NU, van de Ven said: “At my age, it’s important that you get a lot of playing time. I spoke about this in detail with the Tottenham coach. He said: ‘I am bringing you in to play. And that may not go well right away, but then I know you have the quality.’
“It is so much fun playing football at Tottenham. The assignment is: play from the back and if things go wrong, it is the responsibility of the trainer. The manager literally said: ‘You can make a mistake. Better that than shooting the ball outside the stadium three times in a row.'”
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That’s an interesting one about the idea of making mistakes. It must be so reassuring to know that your manager has got your back, especially for a young player coming to a new country and playing for a big club.
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