Djed Spence remains confident that he will get opportunities this season and added that he is determined to take them.
Spence has only seen a few minutes of Premier League action so far this season, coming on in the final few minutes of Tottenham’s wins over Nottingham Forest and Everton.
Both Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty are seemingly ahead of the 22-year-old in the pecking order for the right wing-back role at the moment, but the former Boro man insisted that he is prepared to remain patient and wait for his opportunity.
Spence told Football.London: “I am hopeful [of more game time], but I have just got to be patient and when my time comes I’ve just got to take it. I’ve just got to take it as it comes. It can take time or be quick [to get your chance], so it is what it is.
“I always believe in myself but you never know what happens in football so you’ve just got to be patient and when the time comes, the time will come.”
Tottenham get their EFL Cup campaign underway with a third-round clash against Nottingham Forest on November 10, which could be when Spence gets his first start for the Lilywhites.
When asked about his hopes of starting in cup competitions, the right-back responded: “I mean I want to play not just in the cup, in the league as well so whether my first start comes in the league or the cup, I’ve just got to be ready.
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“Everyone has welcomed me [to the club]. There is not one specific player. All the team have welcomed me, all the staff, so it has been good. The fans have for sure and you’ve seen it today. I appreciate the love from everybody.”
Everyone at Tottenham is still trying to come to terms with the sudden and tragic passing of Gian Piero Ventrone, and while Spence only knew him for a few months, the youngster admitted that the Spurs fitness coach put him through some of the hardest sessions he has experience.
When asked about the Italian, Spence said: “He was a good guy, always pushing us to our limits. Obviously, I didn’t know him as well as the other boys but what I knew from him was he was a very hard-working guy.
“He always made sure we did things right and would push ourselves to places we thought we couldn’t go so yeah, he was a top guy. Yeah probably [they were probably the hardest sessions I’ve done], but it was good stuff.”
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It is worth remembering that Conte did not hand Doherty consistent starts for the first few months of his time at Spurs but the Irishman made the right wing-back spot his own during the second half of last season.
The same could be the case with Spence and it is up to the 22-year-old to show Conte and the coaching staff what he can do when opportunities come his way.
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