Paul Robinson has singled out one Tottenham star for praise after bouncing back brilliantly from a major setback this season.
Roberto De Zerbi has not only managed to transform the mood of the squad and those working at the club, but also that of the fan base, who are much more optimistic than they were a couple of weeks ago.
After going nearly four months without a league win, Spurs have pulled themselves out of the bottom three with two back-to-back victories at Wolves and Aston Villa.
Conor Gallagher has admitted that De Zerbi’s one-on-one meetings have helped instil belief in the players, who are all completely on board with the Italian’s ideas.
Paul Robinson praises Antonín Kinsky for Tottenham bonceback
Antonin Kinsky was in tears when he was taken off after just 17 minutes against Atletico Madrid back in March, and some predicted at the time that the Spurs youngster’s career at the top level was over.
However, the Czech shot-stopper has silenced his critics and showcased his quality over the last four matches following Guglielmo Vicario’s injury.
Paul Robinson admitted that he empathised with the 23-year-old after what he went through in Madrid, and explained that it takes great strength of character to bounce back from such adversity.
The former England number one told Tottenham’s official website about Kinsky: “The mental strength that he’s shown has been incredible I was in the stadium in Madrid that night and I’ve never seen anything like it, one of the biggest blows you could ever have as a goalkeeper is to be substituted.
“To come back from that in the way that he has, at such a young age… to have that challenge so early on in his career, it’s difficult for you as a goalkeeper, you’re always on an upward trajectory and things have been going well – back home in Czechia, his club career, his domestic career, his international career, it’s always been on an upward curve.
“Then you get a hit like that. It’s coming, but you just don’t know when it’s coming. To have it so early on and the way that he’s dealt with it has been superb.”
Robinson claims Kinsky has all the tools to become a top goalkeeper
The 46-year-old insisted that he has always thought very highly of the former Slavia Prague man, suggesting that he has very few weaknesses in his game.
De Zerbi has said that Kinsky is fully deserving of the praise that has come his way over recent weeks, and Robinson believes that the Tottenham boss himself deserves some credit for the way he has handled the goalkeeping situation.
The pundit added about Kinsky: “I’ve always been an admirer of his goalkeeping because I think he’s got a lot of quality. I think he’s technically an all-round, very good goalkeeper and he’s going to develop into a top-class goalkeeper.
“It’s amazing what confidence can do for you and the mindset of a player when he steps onto the pitch is huge. Roberto De Zerbi can take a lot of credit for the way that he’s handled the situation. He’s had to because of Vicario’s injury, but Antonin Kinsky deserves so much credit for the mentality and the mental strength that he’s shown.”