nayimfromthehalfwayline
Andy Thompson
https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/players/harry-kane-press-conference-every-16612340
Harry Kane press conference: Every word he said on Tanguy Ndombele, his 'big brother' and more
Here is every word Harry Kane said to the media in Singapore ahead of Spurs' match against Juventus
When you look back at last season was it a case of doing extremely well or having that final which you could have won making it a disappointing end?
It was a tough one to take. We did extremely well to reach the Champions League final and of course, when you get to those big games and you don't quite perform the way you know you can, that's always the bit that hurts you the most.
We know it was there for the taking and that's something we have to deal with and something we've had to think about over the summer. It's a hard one to get over, but all in all, with everything surrounding us, the start at Wembley, and things like that, I think we did extremely well, and it's now given us the confidence and belief that we can be in the big games, the Champions League finals, so it's down to us this season to try and perform again.
Have you watched the final back?
No I haven't. I don't want to watch it. As a player, you know when you could have done better, you could have done more. Like I said, it's a hard one, because it's probably one of the biggest games we'll ever play in our careers and to let it slide by is always a tough one to take. It's an experience we need to learn from and I've said before, it's not the easiest final to get over, but with the belief we have in the squad, we know we're capable for doing that.
How did you get over it?
You have to move on. Those type of losses always stay with you for a while, I don't think you ever fully get over them. I've been involved in a few in my career, but it makes you stronger, it makes you more determined, it builds the fire in the belly to get back there and, when we do hopefully get back there, prove a point. We've had the summer to reflect and move on, and I think before every season you're more excited about the season ahead that looking in the past.
Were you surprised your selection was such an issue?
That's football, that's the game we play, the world we live in. I think everyone has an opinion, so it is what it is. The gaffer made a decision on what he thought was the best for the team and it obviously didn't work out in our favour. But as a team we all look at each other and we always win and lose together, and unfortunately that one didn't go our way.
Do you have to win something next season?
We go into every season trying to win, we haven't done so yet. It's down to us, there's no excuses, there's nothing we can say. As a team we need to do better in the big games and when we get opportunities, like we did last year, we have to take then. It starts now, the hard work, determination and focus for a big season and hopefully we can win that trophy.
You're now in the new stadium, does it feel like a new start?
We've built over the last five years or so and built to this moment. The gaffer has spoken before about being ahead of schedule. The aim five years ago was to be playing Champions League football in the new stadium and of course we went a lot further than a lot of people expected and possibly what we expected. But we're there now, in our stadium, played a few games there, everything is now in place to now build and progress. That's down to us, there's no excuses, and for me I'm just excited to get going again and try and have a great season.
How do you bridge the gap between you and top two this season?
It's hard to sit here and say a reason why or how we're going to do it, we just have to play better, perform better. We know we could have done a lot better in the league last season. There were certain games that were just unacceptable from our point of view, so we need to try to be more consistent. That's the key, When you look at City and Liverpool, that's what they were last season, consistent over the 38 games and it's down to us to match that if not better it.
Is their points total now the benchmark?
It's hard to say. City have obviously done it over the past two seasons now, but we'll see. The Premier League always goes up and down, when you look at the points total that has won it over the past 25 years, it's always varied. The top six are very strong and anyone who can put a good spell together and be consistent over a few months can try and push ahead. We'll see come mid-May.
The manager spoke about this season being a new chapter for the club, with things like Trippier leaving and Ndombele coming in, does it feel like a new chapter?
There are still a lot of us here who have been here for a number of years so we know each other fairly well. A couple of players have come and gone. That's what happens in football teams, you have to adapt and you welcome in the ones who come in. You show them how we want to play and how we want to work, trying to help them as much as possible.
As a base of a squad we know our values, what we're trying to achieve. Anyone coming in to that should settle in pretty well.
How has Tanguy Ndombele settled in and what can the Premier League expect from him?
He's been great. We've trained now for the last week or so. It's been tough and we're working hard and he's working hard. We've got Moussa Sissoko helping him out, like his big brother. He's settled in really well. At the end of the day we always judge each other on what we do on the pitch. He's working hard, he's trying to improve and that's all we can ask for. We're looking forward to having him for the season and I hope he's enjoying it as well.
Liverpool came from fourth and enjoyed a 22-point increase last season, do you take inspiration from that?
I think it comes down to confidence and consistency, getting on good runs where you're winning games. In the Premier League not every year is the same. Of course we know that we can get more points than last year. That's our aim. We want to improve and get better and we've finished in the top four now for the last three or four years and we've just got to keep progressing and keep our status there and push the other teams above to the limits.
But can you match that much of an improvement?
But it's not just Liverpool who showed that. I think there's been plenty of times in the Premier League when a team hasn't done amazingly well one season and then has got 15 points or so more the season after. It happens in the Premier League, you get confidence and momentum and you can easily rack up the points. Likewise you can easily get in a bad spell and struggle for points. It's up to us to get that good momentum.
Harry Kane press conference: Every word he said on Tanguy Ndombele, his 'big brother' and more
Here is every word Harry Kane said to the media in Singapore ahead of Spurs' match against Juventus
When you look back at last season was it a case of doing extremely well or having that final which you could have won making it a disappointing end?
It was a tough one to take. We did extremely well to reach the Champions League final and of course, when you get to those big games and you don't quite perform the way you know you can, that's always the bit that hurts you the most.
We know it was there for the taking and that's something we have to deal with and something we've had to think about over the summer. It's a hard one to get over, but all in all, with everything surrounding us, the start at Wembley, and things like that, I think we did extremely well, and it's now given us the confidence and belief that we can be in the big games, the Champions League finals, so it's down to us this season to try and perform again.
Have you watched the final back?
No I haven't. I don't want to watch it. As a player, you know when you could have done better, you could have done more. Like I said, it's a hard one, because it's probably one of the biggest games we'll ever play in our careers and to let it slide by is always a tough one to take. It's an experience we need to learn from and I've said before, it's not the easiest final to get over, but with the belief we have in the squad, we know we're capable for doing that.
How did you get over it?
You have to move on. Those type of losses always stay with you for a while, I don't think you ever fully get over them. I've been involved in a few in my career, but it makes you stronger, it makes you more determined, it builds the fire in the belly to get back there and, when we do hopefully get back there, prove a point. We've had the summer to reflect and move on, and I think before every season you're more excited about the season ahead that looking in the past.
Were you surprised your selection was such an issue?
That's football, that's the game we play, the world we live in. I think everyone has an opinion, so it is what it is. The gaffer made a decision on what he thought was the best for the team and it obviously didn't work out in our favour. But as a team we all look at each other and we always win and lose together, and unfortunately that one didn't go our way.
Do you have to win something next season?
We go into every season trying to win, we haven't done so yet. It's down to us, there's no excuses, there's nothing we can say. As a team we need to do better in the big games and when we get opportunities, like we did last year, we have to take then. It starts now, the hard work, determination and focus for a big season and hopefully we can win that trophy.
You're now in the new stadium, does it feel like a new start?
We've built over the last five years or so and built to this moment. The gaffer has spoken before about being ahead of schedule. The aim five years ago was to be playing Champions League football in the new stadium and of course we went a lot further than a lot of people expected and possibly what we expected. But we're there now, in our stadium, played a few games there, everything is now in place to now build and progress. That's down to us, there's no excuses, and for me I'm just excited to get going again and try and have a great season.
How do you bridge the gap between you and top two this season?
It's hard to sit here and say a reason why or how we're going to do it, we just have to play better, perform better. We know we could have done a lot better in the league last season. There were certain games that were just unacceptable from our point of view, so we need to try to be more consistent. That's the key, When you look at City and Liverpool, that's what they were last season, consistent over the 38 games and it's down to us to match that if not better it.
Is their points total now the benchmark?
It's hard to say. City have obviously done it over the past two seasons now, but we'll see. The Premier League always goes up and down, when you look at the points total that has won it over the past 25 years, it's always varied. The top six are very strong and anyone who can put a good spell together and be consistent over a few months can try and push ahead. We'll see come mid-May.
The manager spoke about this season being a new chapter for the club, with things like Trippier leaving and Ndombele coming in, does it feel like a new chapter?
There are still a lot of us here who have been here for a number of years so we know each other fairly well. A couple of players have come and gone. That's what happens in football teams, you have to adapt and you welcome in the ones who come in. You show them how we want to play and how we want to work, trying to help them as much as possible.
As a base of a squad we know our values, what we're trying to achieve. Anyone coming in to that should settle in pretty well.
How has Tanguy Ndombele settled in and what can the Premier League expect from him?
He's been great. We've trained now for the last week or so. It's been tough and we're working hard and he's working hard. We've got Moussa Sissoko helping him out, like his big brother. He's settled in really well. At the end of the day we always judge each other on what we do on the pitch. He's working hard, he's trying to improve and that's all we can ask for. We're looking forward to having him for the season and I hope he's enjoying it as well.
Liverpool came from fourth and enjoyed a 22-point increase last season, do you take inspiration from that?
I think it comes down to confidence and consistency, getting on good runs where you're winning games. In the Premier League not every year is the same. Of course we know that we can get more points than last year. That's our aim. We want to improve and get better and we've finished in the top four now for the last three or four years and we've just got to keep progressing and keep our status there and push the other teams above to the limits.
But can you match that much of an improvement?
But it's not just Liverpool who showed that. I think there's been plenty of times in the Premier League when a team hasn't done amazingly well one season and then has got 15 points or so more the season after. It happens in the Premier League, you get confidence and momentum and you can easily rack up the points. Likewise you can easily get in a bad spell and struggle for points. It's up to us to get that good momentum.
