Eight years, excitement and Everton - Hugo all set for 20/21

It’s eight years since Hugo Lloris first stepped out at Spurs Lodge, our old training facility in Chigwell, Essex. Earlier this week, he returned to our world-class HQ at Hotspur Way for his ninth pre-season as a Spurs player, and his sixth as captain.

“It’s still a privilege to come into this training centre every day,” he said. “I’m still running after a trophy but the ambition is still high and it’s always an exciting time in pre-season to be involved with a team with high ambition, and we will do our best with Jose and his staff to come closer and closer to winning a trophy.”

Now 33, Hugo’s numbers are beginning to stack up. At 325 appearances in all competitions, he’s already into the Club’s all-time top 30, while his 260 matches in the Premier League places him in our top five in that competition, chasing Darren Anderton’s record 299.

He’s seven matches from our all-time record European appearances, Steve Perryman’s 64, and six from overtaking Ray Clemence and moving into the top three of our all-time goalkeeping appearances, behind legends Ted Ditchburn (452) and Pat Jennings (590).

Yet, it’s silverware driving our number one. “Look, I’m honest with you, the only way to give credit to these numbers is to win something with this Club,” he said. “I’m looking forward to this more than ever.”

Following the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent disruption to last season - 2019/20 only finished on 26 July - pre-season is shorter than ever this time around, with the first weekend of the Premier League only three weeks away already. The announcement of the 2020/21 fixtures this week paired us at home to Everton on that opening weekend of 12 September (subject to change) and Hugo is well aware of the need to make a bright start.

“It’s the chance to put last season behind us, to start a new season with fresh minds, fresh bodies,” he said. “Of course, it’s a short time in pre-season, but we need to adapt. It’s the same scenario for all the teams involved in the Premier League.

“We have to make sure we start well. In the last few seasons, we’ve lost some points in the first few games, and they all count at the end.

“It’s good to be at home, but Everton are difficult opponents, very competitive. They have everything, the players, the quality in the squad and a fantastic manager, one of the best in history. It will be an interesting start, and we will be ready.”

The mood is positive with the players determined to maintain the form of the post-lockdown end of 2019/20 - nine matches, five wins, three draws and just one defeat secured a sixth place and European football.

Hugo added: “As I said at the end of last season, that period helped the players who didn’t know the demands of the manager. Now we all understand those demands. Before, we didn’t really have time. There was a transition with the way we used to play before and what the manager is demanding. Now it is all clear, and he adds his winning mentality to this team and the leaders also have to step up. It’s about winning now..."

Coming soon - Hugo on Joe Hart...