Ange Postecoglou’s brutally honest thoughts on Djed Spence after Tottenham Hotspur’s win over Hearts. This time last summer, Djed Spence was preparing to leave Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan and join Leeds United.
Within six months, Championship side Leeds had enough and were sending the struggling defender back to his parent club.
Tottenham then loaned Djed Spence out to Serie A side Genoa in January, where his performances were far better and he was starting to show improvement.
The 23-year-old very much needed that because life at the London club has just never got going following his transfer from Middlesbrough in 2022.
Who do you blame? The player himself? The man who was in the dugout when Spence signed, Antonio Conte? Or even the marmite-like figure at Tottenham, Daniel Levy?
Either way, Ange Postecoglou doesn’t care because he made it clear to the all-action right-back that ‘everyone has the opportunity’ as preparations for the new season get underway.
The Europa League side thrashed Hearts in their pre-season opener, with Mikey Moore applauding one of his Tottenham teammates after the game.
As you can imagine, post-match, Postecoglou was asked about the future of Spence and whether he has a chance to ‘force his way back into the reckoning’.
The Spurs boss admitted that life has been ‘tough’ for Spence since he joined, but he was brutally honest about the chance that is now on show for the player, as he told Sky Sports News (17/07/24).
Does Djed Spence have a future at Tottenham Hotspur?
“Everyone has the opportunity,” said Postecoglou. “Ultimately, those kinds of things are decided by how people perform and where they fit into the overall structure.
“But Djed has been good. He has obviously had a tough couple of years. He is there training. I thought he did really well (against Hearts).” Yes, Spurs put five goals past Hearts and Spence got on the scoresheet, but you sense it’s more than that.
Postecoglou is opening the door for him here, allowing him back in and a chance to play at the top end of the Premier League table.
He either sulks, doesn’t perform, or doesn’t show the required attitude and it will only mean he is out of the door quicker than he entered it.
But if he puts his head down, then that right-back spot suits him because Postecoglou wants his fullbacks to bomb forward and play as number 10s.
