ange Postecoglou
During the pre-season, Ange Postecoglou made it clear that there was a potential spot for Djed Spence in his squad, provided the Tottenham right-back was willing to “take control of his own direction.” This statement resonated well among some Spurs supporters, considering Spence had only managed six senior appearances for the club in his initial two years in north London. Many felt that Spence wasn’t given a fair chance under Antonio Conte, and he wasn’t in Postecoglou’s plans last season either, which led to his loan spells at Leeds United and Genoa. Given these circumstances, it seemed that Spence’s Tottenham career might not continue. However, Spence signed a new contract at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, signaling his endeavors behind the scenes to reignite his career at Spurs. He showcased his skills during an impressive second-half cameo in a pre-season match against Hearts and continued to make an impression in the team’s friendlies and training sessions.
Ange Postecoglou said, “I think with Djed, for me we got him back into pre-season and we’re judging him on his merits. He’s a Tottenham player. To be fair to him, I think he’s been very, very good for us this pre-season, in terms of the way he’s trained and his general attitude. But a lot of these things are in the players’ hands themselves. They kind of decide their own future in many respects and I think Djed is in that boat. I think there’s an opportunity for him here, for sure. Thinking about building a squad, he would be definitely somebody who could [contribute] with the attributes he has. I thought last year there was a chance but it didn’t quite work out. For those kind of things, I think sometimes players really wait for direction when they can really take control of their own direction. Djed’s here. He is a Spurs player. He’s a very good player who fits into our football and so it’s as much about him as it is about me making a decision. He’s impressed all the coaches, not just myself. For some of them it’s the first time they’ve worked with him and they’ve all been really impressed with him. Maybe he’s learned a couple of things over the last couple of years about himself and hopefully we can sort of bear the fruit of that.”
Tottenham are now reaping the benefits of retaining Spence, even if his first-team minutes have been limited. His crucial performance at Coventry City in the Carabao Cup helped Tottenham to advance, as Spence scored the equalizer just before Brennan Johnson secured the win for the team. Despite the previous forgettable years, Spence’s Spurs career has regained momentum. His new contract, albeit a year extension, is a significant indication of the club’s long-term plans for him. Spence took charge of his future and has now solidified his place in Postecoglou’s plans at Tottenham.
