MX23RW : Friday, August 6 02:50:36| >> :120:13969:13969:

Japhet Tanganga predicting "exciting times" at Tottenham Hotspur

Japhet Tanganga predicting
© Reuters
The former Wolves boss succeeded Jose Mourinho at Spurs.

Tottenham defender Japhet Tanganga is predicting "exciting times" for the club under new boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who will play an attacking brand of football.

The Portuguese was named as Jose Mourinho's successor earlier this month after a lengthy search which had plenty of twists and turns.

The 47-year-old left Wolves at the end of last season after four successful campaigns and was brought to north London to try and get Spurs back to the top table of English football.

Tanganga, who is recovering from an ankle injury suffered at the end of last term, says judging by the way pre-season training has gone, the side is going to be set up in an attacking way.

"I can tell you for sure that we're going to be attacking," he said after attending a CPR lesson hosted by the JE3 Foundation, set-up in memory of former Spurs player Justin Edinburgh, at Riverley Primary School.

"That's because we've been working hard on it in training and on pressing and implementing his ideas. I think the lads have been worked really hard and I've been worked really hard, so I think it's going to be exciting times in these coming years.

"He's been great. He's been very interested with how Skippy (Oliver Skipp) and I have been getting on as we've been coming back from injury and he's been cool.

"I think a lot of the players already love him in terms of we've been working hard and he's been giving information to everyone and he's been very transparent.

Japhet Tanganga has having CPR lessons, hosted by JE3 Foundation, set-up in memory of Justin Edinburgh, at Riverley Primary School
Japhet Tanganga has been having CPR lessons, hosted by JE3 Foundation, set-up in memory of Justin Edinburgh, at Riverley Primary School (Tottenham Hotspur FC handout/PA)

"It's been really good, really positive with him and his staff. It's been a great start and we're just looking forward to seeing what the future holds."

Tanganga only made his professional debut for Spurs in 2019, but Nuno is already the fourth manager he will have played under.

After bursting onto the scene with a man-of-the-match display in his Premier League debut against Liverpool in January 2020, the next 18 months have been more of a challenge.

He suffered a number of injury problems that curtailed his progress, while Mourinho also saw him primarily as a right-back rather than a centre-half.

The 22-year-old wants the 2021/22 campaign to be the one where he makes one position his own and become a regular in Nuno's team.

"For me, going into my second season, I'd like to cement one position," he said. "Obviously I've grown up playing at centre-back and that's probably my favourite position, but it's the same as it was under the old gaffer, if he wanted to play me at right-back I was never going to say no.

"I wasn't going to complain that I wasn't playing in my favourite position and I think the same this season. Ideally I'd like to play at centre-back but if the manager wants me to play at right-back, left-back or anywhere I'll do the job as well.

"I think my ambition would definitely be to have played a part in Spurs winning something this season, playing a large majority of the games.

"I think for me, having that breakthrough season and then the injury and then the next season getting a couple of injuries, I didn't really get a real run of games.

"My goal this season is just to get as many games as I can and get as fit as I can and try to bring some silverware to Spurs."

Tanganga had a refresher CPR lesson hosted by the JE3 Foundation, where he was able to learn life-saving skills.

It is a matter that is now even more important to everyone at the club following the cardiac arrest suffered by former Spurs midfielder Christian Eriksen during Euro 2020.

It was that quick treatment on-field by team-mate Simon Kjaer and medical staff that helped keep the Denmark international alive.

Tanganga said of the incident: "It was hard. Then the messages were all going around. It was pretty difficult but the medical staff and his team-mates did a brilliant job to help him and thankfully he was able to wake up and be alright.

"So yeah, it was not a nice feeling, not a nice thing to see but we thank God that he's alive.

"We've kind of just let him get on. Pierre (Hojbjerg) was obviously in the team, so he gave us all a message in the group chat to update us on him so that was a bit calming for all of us.

"So that was cool and it let us know he was alright. A couple of other players messaged him as well and they told us he was all good which was great to hear."

ID:455399: cacheID:455399:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:15569:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Bologna's Takehiro Tomiyasu pictured in July 2020
Read Next:
Spurs 'finalising ยฃ15m Takehiro Tomiyasu deal'
>

rhs 2.0
Olympic medal table header
CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
ChinaChina34241674
United StatesUnited States29352791
JapanJapan22101446
AustraliaAustralia1751941
Olympics flagRussian Olympic Committee16222058
Great BritainGreat Britain16181852
Today's Olympic highlights header

Friday's key events


HOCKEY
ยท Great Britain's women aim to secure their place on the podium as they face India in the bronze medal match (2.30am)
ยท Netherlands - silver medallists five years ago - and Argentina battle for the gold medal in the women's final (11am)

BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ยท The women's gold medal will be decided as Australia and USA go head to head (3.30am)

BOXING
ยท Lauren Price will be looking to add to Team GB's success in the ring when she takes on Nouchka Fontijn of Netherlands in the women's middleweight semi-final (6am)

DIVING
ยท Tom Daley already has one Olympic gold to his name in Tokyo, and he begins his bid for second in the men's 10m platform. Teammate Noah Williams is also involved in the preliminary round (7am)

CYCLING
ยท Jason Kenny's reign as sprint king may be over, but Jack Carlin looked strong in his bid to succeed his compatriot. He takes on Harrie Lavreysen in his sprint semi-final (8.10am), with the final taking place later in the day (10.35am)
ยท The women's madison makes its Olympic debut at the velodrome as Team GB duo Katie Archibald and Laura Kenny look to add another medal to their collections (9.15am)

FOOTBALL
ยท Hosts Japan will look to get themselves on the podium as they face Mexico in the men's bronze medal match (10am)
ยท The women's champions will be crowned as both Sweden and Canada aim to win Olympic gold for the very first time (1pm)

ATHLETICS
ยท The men's 5000m final includes Great Britain's Andrew Butchart, but most eyes will be on Ugandan world record holder Joshua Cheptegei (1pm)
ยท Team GB's Jodie Williams will hope to get on the podium in the women's 400m final, but defending champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo is favourite for gold while Stephenie Ann McPherson should challenge and Allyson Felix is bidding to become the most decorated female track and field athlete of all time (1.35pm)
ยท Netherlands' Sifan Hassan takes on leg two of her ambitious attempt at a Tokyo treble in a women's 1500m final which also includes Great Britain's Laura Muir and Faith Kipyegon of Kenya (1.50pm)
ยท A star-studded women's 4x100m relay final will see a Team GB quartet including Dina Asher-Smith look to upset defending champions USA and favourites Jamaica, who boast Elaine Thompson-Herah as she goes for her third gold of the Games (2.30pm)
ยท Great Britain and Jamaica will also be going for gold in the men's 4x100m relay final, and their medal hopes have been boosted by USA's failure to qualify (2.50pm)

> Today's schedule in full
Todays Game Header Right
Tables

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!