In his post-match press conference, Tottenham Hotspur’s Acting Head Coach Ryan Mason praised his team for their win over Leeds United today, but reiterated just how disappointed he is with the season overall.
Tottenham secured all three points on the final day of the season with a 4-1 win over Leeds United at Elland Road.
Two goals from Harry Kane, one from Pedro Porro, and a wonderful farewell goal for Lucas Moura ensured victory for the away side.
The performance was far better than we have seen of late from Spurs, with free-flowing attacking football and fairly solid defending on display this afternoon.
Despite a good performance and a big win, the result was not enough to lift Spurs any higher than eighth place in the Premier League table and the club will now be without European football next season.
Speaking to Football.London after the game, Mason had plenty of positive things to say about his side’s display, but stressed the importance of doing better next season.
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He said: “We had a job to do today and all we could do was come here today and win the game in difficult circumstances.
“We did that and I think we were good value for it as well. We scored some really, really good goals but also defended our box really well so I was pleased with today and how today went.
“Obviously the bigger picture is disappointment over how the season has gone as a whole because we’ve finished outside of Europe for the first time in a long time.
“We need to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
He added (FootballLondon): “When I go on my summer holidays I would hope and expect that everyone inside of our training ground knows who I am, who my team and who we stand for.
“The hope and expectation is that you guys and everyone else sees that too. I know we’ve done a great job. I really do.
The circumstances were very difficult. I think anyone in the world coming into this situation for six games coming off the back of what had happened and the position we were in was going to find it tough.
“Also if you add into that being on an interim basis, where there’s uncertainty it makes it even tougher.
“But we’ve stuck to what we believe in, we’ve transitioned a little bit I believe in a short space of time and the players have responded, they’ve given us everything and ultimately that’s all I can ask.”
On the future, he said: “Honestly, I think as I said we probably need to understand where we want to go and who we want to be and that’s the most important thing.
“Once you decide that then you can employ the people that fit that and then I think everyone is quite clear on the direction we would like to go.
“We have quite big squad. Whoever is in charge in pre-season, there are a lot of players and decisions to make.
“Ultimately I think we need to get back to who we want to be, who our fans want us to be and then going forward we will have better results on a more consistent basis.
“I don’t know what people think the best is because the best isn’t always necessarily the best option.
“The most important thing for any football club in world football is to have an identity, know who you are and who you want to be and stick to that.
“Then I think you can employ people along the way, people who fit into something as opposed to trying to make people fit into something and compensating.
“I don’t think that works. That’s the key decision. That’s the big decision and that’s the commitment that I think we need to make.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Much better from Spurs today, and hopefully a sign of better things to come next year, too.
I think Mason got it spot on with his team selection and formation, and he clearly got the lads putting in the legwork and attacking high up the pitch, which we have sorely missed this season.
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