Alderweireld answers whether current contract situations are linked with poor performances

As has been covered extensively in the British press since the start of the season, a trio of first-team players at Tottenham, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, and Christian Eriksen are all into the final year of their contracts with the club.

Mauricio Pochettino has previously admitted that the squad is unsettled and that it has impacted upon the performance of the team on the pitch (Football.London).

While some fans were already questioning the players’ attitudes after the poor start to the season, the 7-2 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich on Tuesday set the alarm bells ringing, with many viewing the result as confirmation that there is something terribly wrong at the club.

However, Toby Alderweireld has dismissed suggestions that different players’ contract situations have anything to do with their poor performances this season and insisted that everyone is working hard to overcome the mess the team find themselves in.

In an interview to the Telegraph, when asked if the players’ contract problems were affecting the team, the Belgian international said: “It is nothing to do with this, Nothing, nothing. I think sometimes it’s a shame that nobody can see the work ethic everybody brings to this club. Everybody’s hungry and wants to work hard.

“We know the results are not the best. We’re not against the press and, of course, things will be critical. After tonight things will be critical and that’s part of top sports, you know, the sport of football.

“Sometimes you’re up there and sometimes you’re in the corner where you get slapped. But you have to fight a way out of the corner. And that’s the moment we’re in now.”

The 30-year-old also admitted that the players were hurting badly from the result but reiterated the need for everyone to stick together in order to turn things around.

Alderweireld added: “Of course, it wasn’t our best performance. Don’t get me wrong. But we have to stick together now in this, it’s not someone to blame. Everybody makes mistakes, but we have to pick ourselves up and try to be to come out as a team.

“We will talk and then we will prepare ourselves the best way possible for Saturday (against Brighton) because that’s the next game and the best way to get us out of the situation is to win the next game and then try to improve and it’s not easy.

“I’m not going to lie, this is a big loss, we feel the pain, everyone in the dressing room was just quiet. Everyone feels the pain, so it’s not easy, but we have to work hard. And there are highs and lows, and now we are we’re down there you know. The only way up is to work.

“You can sit there and keep saying we are unlucky, but no, it’s all our responsibility and we work hard. But I think that’s not a problem to work hard. Everybody is doing the best they can to perform the best way possible. We just focus on the things we have to do and try to get out of this corner.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I don’t see any evidence to support some fans’ suggestion that the players don’t care. For whatever reason, things haven’t clicked on the pitch so far this season but I still believe that the players and the coaching staff will turn things around in the coming weeks. This team has given us some great moments over the past few years and it is important that we keep the faith in Pochettino and the squad.

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