Xavi Simons? 'WE'RE CLOSE TO SIGNING SOMEONE! LET’S SEE!' 🤫 | Thomas Frank | Tottenham v Bournemouth

Blame him, hey? At least I can throw you under the bus, that's the issue. I'm used to it, it's fine. I'm starting to speak now. Oh, you're now surprised? You didn't expect that? You got me there. Which I mean actually is, wow, how good is that? So big credit to Jet, he truly deserved it. It's been a tough, not tough, it's been, what a journey to have it at 24 years old, turning 25 this year, being called up, I don't think many saw that coming. He had a good end to last season, he had a top pre-season, he played very well in three games against PSG, City and Burnley. Really giving a lot to the team, so I'm so happy for him. Spurs supporters are very, very happy today. Yeah, why? Because of Jet. But also, can you confirm the signing of Xavi Simons? I can confirm that we're working very hard to get someone over the line. That I can confirm, but right now I'm happy to speak more about Jet and all the players that are inside the Tottenham squad. Okay, there's obviously nerves because of other deals, but do you think the fans potentially might get good news later today then? I hope they get good news later today for various reasons, because we are trying to sign players, and that we will try to do to the end of the Toronto window. Of course, as I've said many times in these press conferences, it's been a lot on, okay? We are out there in the market, we'll try to see if we can improve the squad, but only if we can improve the squad. If not, I'm happy with the players, they're working hard. Can I just get one potential outgoing, Thomas? Yeah. Yves Bissouma was in talks with Galatasaray earlier in the week. Where is that now? There were reports of a potential injury issue. Can you get a clarification? How can I say? The squad news is also that Bissouma can't make the game tomorrow, and right now it's the same, Bissouma is a Tottenham player. Finally, have you fallen in love early? Just confirmation. Fallen in love early? Tottenham? Yeah, you know, let me put it this way, I'm very happy here. I knew that before, it's a great club, but, you know, get to know players, staff, fans, so, yeah, I'm very happy. Hi Thomas. Just going back to team news, Destiny Udogi, could he be featuring tomorrow? Yes, he could. Thank you for that question. Dest will be in the squad tomorrow, so that's very positive for all of us. Just going back to Shed, you mentioned how up and down of a time he has had here at Spurs, and now Thomas Tuchel said, look, he ended last season really well, he started this season really well. I just wanted to get an insight into his mentality. What have you seen from him from that point of view, in terms of being able to really ride those stormy seasons, really? I think Shed is a fantastic example for a lot of players, not only here in Tottenham, but also other places, that everything is possible if you are resilient, can get through the tough spells that is in football and life, and be very disciplined, keep going, training well, keep believing in your abilities, keep going even on a very rainy day. I think that's a big credit to him, and a great example. Those stories I think we should all appreciate and be happy for. Jean Pallinier has received a lot of praise, and rightly so, since returning back to the Premier League. I know you can't speak about who the club may reveal later on today as a new signing, but if you are to add an attacking midfielder in particular to this squad, how highly would you rate your midfield options for this season? So, you're talking about Xiao? Yeah, so, let me put it this way, I think we've got a very good midfield. I like the five midfielders we have, or six we have, sorry. Archie, Lucas, Bissouma, Xiao, Rotary and Pape. Very happy with them. No doubt we have the creativity in Maddison and Kosevski, which is out right now. So, I think that's very transparent that they are out. So, of course, that's a skill set we need to find, either in some other players like Kodusa, Wilson or Matsi. So, I think the midfield is strong. And again, can we sign something that can prove the squad? We'd be happy. Thanks, Thomas. Ian. Hi, Thomas, how are you? I'm good, thank you. You told me a month ago when we had the very first press conference with you that one certainty was that you were going to lose games. You haven't lost any games yet. You've won every single game you've played. So, does that show that your coaching skills are better than even you thought? Or that maybe the squad was better than you thought when you joined? I think both the squad is fantastic and I'm fantastic. So, I think that's very simple, no. We have a strong plan to try to win tomorrow, again against Bournemouth. Got a big belief that we are capable of doing it. We're facing a very good team. And Iola have done a top job in its coaching staff. They just lost, what, four of their back five, including the keeper, for this season and just continue producing good performances. I watched their game live against Liverpool. I watched it one more time over the last two days. They were very good. They could easily have got something out of that game against the champions. They play a very, how can you say, not only direct, but they play very, you know, through the lines and behind you. So, it's very difficult to defend and difficult to press them because they go over the top or behind us or against every team. So, they're a really, really difficult team to play against. They had a fantastic season last year. So, we need to show them huge respect. And we need to show huge respect on the defensive side of the game. Be very good in that aspect because I'm convinced we will create something. But if we don't run and don't defend and don't show the respect, we'll have massive problems tomorrow against Bournemouth. So, if we do that, come out with that energy and the positive feeling we have, then I'm very confident that we can win the game. But I'm very aware that we're going to a difficult task. There are some managers in the Premier League, I won't name them, who seem to be absolutely wedded to one system. I'm only playing this, regardless of what it is. And if they go over a cliff because of it, so be it. You seem to swap systems not only for games, but within games. How much is that your philosophy and how difficult is that for players? Because it doesn't seem that difficult at the moment. I think the big thing, I think I'm very clear on the principles we have in terms of how we want to play. So, let's say high pressure, I'm big on the man-man. Let's say defending low, there's some sonal principles in defending the box. But also how we want to attack, there's also some key principles there. But then I think you can tweak it a little bit with the systems. You can also tweak it in a system with different positions and different players in different positions. So, that I'm very open about and aware. And with the coaching staff backing me, we hope we find good solutions. Finally, expectations. I mean, if you go into the international break having won three out of three, certain Spurs fans will be very excited. Especially with the Champions League kicking off. I'm interested in your thoughts on the draw on that as well. How do you manage expectations with the Premier League and the Champions League, which is going to be starting soon? That's a good question. But right now, I'm 100% focused on doing our best to win tomorrow. And can we win? It'll be a fantastic start to a new season. Then a lot of the players, actually all of them, will go away and play for their countries. And hopefully make their countries proud and their families. I'll take a break and then we're ready to kick on again. I'm definitely looking forward to what's happening after that. Speaking of international call-ups, Richarlison has been called up to the Brazil squad. How pleased are you for him, of course? But also, how important is it for Brazil to keep the way you guys have been building him up, nicely, fitness-wise? I think I'm very happy for Richie. I think he's well-deserved to start the season very strongly. Three strong games, three strong performances. Hopefully he can carry it into the game tomorrow. Of course, the play for Brazil is big. I think it's good they play. The more they play, the fitter they will get and the stronger they will be. So I think that's positive. Just a couple of injuries. I just want to check on timelines, if you can, for Bissouma being one of them. And also Radu Dragosin. When are you expecting him to be able to join back in with things? I think Bissouma... One thing for sure, he's out for the next game. Then the specific timeline I'm a little bit in doubt of because I don't think it will be that long. Dragosin is on the way back and he's been running for a while. I think he should join the team... Ten days' time, I think that's the thing. So that's positive. But of course, it is ACL. I'm always a little bit more... not worried, but just aware that it takes time. We've been out of football for nine months. You need to get in. It's not enough to have a six-week pre-season. It needs to take a little bit more time. But it's positive. And some surprise and come back quick, of course. I think this might be the last time I get to speak to you before you name your Champions League squad as well. In the past, Spurs have had some issues with the European squad and having too many players. Have you got some decisions on your hands over who might have to be left out if the current numbers stay the same? As I understand it, we still have a minor challenge there. So that, of course, decision will be made in due time. Jay, please. Hi, Thomas. I've just got another one on Jed. How did you find out that he'd been called up and have you spoken to him directly about it? Yes, we found out that... when he was announced at 12 o'clock. So, luckily, we started training at 12, so someone came out straight after. He, as I understood it, received a text earlier today. So we, of course, I was going to say congratulated him in front of the players. And there was applause and hugs and everything. Spoke to him after and said, well deserved and I hope you will enjoy it. Let's keep up the good level and keep the focus for the game tomorrow and then go in and enjoy being part of an England squad. And I asked if he was going in to call his family and he was about to do that. What specific qualities do you want from someone who plays in the central attacking midfield role, whether that's someone new or someone who is already in the squad? I think it depends a little bit on the game. Yeah, because let's say we play away to City. I think it depends on the game and the other players around, because you can have two very offensive minded sitters that are very forward going and then you maybe need more of a runner in a tent. Then you can have three front players where they are unbelievable runners, but one of them is a little bit more creative. So I think I'm not looking in one specific position and what I want from the tent position, because what I want for that position, I don't think it's possible to get him, because he would be a running machine, pressing machine, unbelievably creative, can do headers, can put it in the top corner, a lot of tap-ins. That would be the perfect players. There are not too many of those players, so I need to be a little bit pragmatic. And if we have a very, let's say, offensive tent, then maybe we need a little bit behind. If we don't have that, then we need a little bit, you know, the construction of the midfield, I would say. You obviously like players that can play in multiple positions. Does it ever reach a point in that player's career where they need to specialise or stick to one particular role? I think... I think if you... That's a good question. I think when we see players performing their best, most likely they play one position. No one has turned a right wing or striker or centre-back, but these days you can see centre-backs also play as a full-back. Some midfielders play 10, sometimes they play 6. So I think it is... When they go towards their peak, if that makes sense, that's where they should settle into that position. That's not the same that they can't play across a front 4 or front 3. Also the modern football, I think they are much more flexible now. The front 3 now need to be playing on the wings, the striker as a 10. Finish with George, please. Hi Thomas. There's a certain player from Amsterdam we believe is on the other side of the building and you can almost feel the excitement in the place. And yourself, if it was like... How chuffed are you that Spurs are really, really close to signing a brilliant player? I think that we are close to signing someone. But let's see. As I said, just as a go-to, it makes it so much easier. I speak about the players. I'm very happy that I found out to say that in Brentford and kept it consistently. So I'll be very boring in that. Unfortunately, just say I want to speak about the players in-house and everyone else outside of our team, I'll not speak about unless it's Messi and Ronaldo. And the good thing is they are soon retiring, both of them. So that makes it very simple. And just to go back to last week, I asked when you spoke about how you really wanted the team to push for that third goal, which didn't come. Obviously you got a brilliant 2-0 victory. Is that kind of your natural tendency to always want to push for another goal? Or is that kind of trying to sort of align with the club's philosophy, which has always kind of been that? I think I would always say I had an offensive mindset as a coach. Always, yeah, try to push to play more offensive, try to go for the next goal. I agree. It lines perfect with the club's values and the history of the club. So I had it, you know, since I started as a young coach, as a youth national team coach, Bruntby. But when I came to Brentford, I actually got an extra notch. I know it's not a big club, but the ownership, especially in Matthew and Phil and Rasmus, were big on that. Also, all statistics, everything said that if you went for the next goal, it was more likely you'd get three points instead of you get two defensive. So that was just a line. So because they were so big on it as well, there was a lot of good discussions and thought process behind. Also with your sops, what do you do? Do you sop a striker with a midfielder? Or do you sop a striker for a striker? I think that's offensive. So you go for the goal. Of course, you all know that sometimes you maybe change. I have no problem changing to a 5-3-2, but you still have two strikers on the pitch. And I have no problem to play a more offensive of the three if it's possible. That all depends. But definitely will go for the goal always. And obviously, Champions League draw was last night. And I guess a little bit of everything in there, you know, big team, some familiar teams for the squad and obviously Danish club as well. What did you make of it? Overall, I thought okay draw. Sometimes we draw, they can look very bad on paper or they can look very good. But at the end of the day, it's how we perform against these teams. And we know Champions League for every team, no matter if it's PSG or Dortmund or a club that is not as big, whatever, Slavia or Copenhagen, it's the biggest game of the season. So that would be tough. Of course, I'm happy that there was Copenhagen. I thought that could be good. I wanted them in Parken. That could be even more, probably more difficult, if I'm honest. But it'll be difficult no matter what. And it's nice when you have good colleagues that you're facing them.