Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: “For me, football is a way of life”
Tue 30 November 2021, 18:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
You get the feeling that it hadn’t even dawned on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg that he’d made it to 50 successive starts in the Premier League for us since signing from Southampton in August, 2020, after scoring the equaliser on our way to victory against Leeds on 21 November.
Ahead of Leeds, he was one of only three players in the league to have started all 49 matches from September, 2020 to that point - Stuart Dallas of Leeds and West Ham’s Tomas Soucek the other two. All three made it to 50 that day, Dallas and Soucek moved onto 51 at the weekend, as we were snowed off in Burnley.
Pierre has only been substituted once in that time, and those four added minutes in the win against Manchester City on the opening day of the season are the only four minutes he’s missed in the Premier League so far as a Spurs player. For an all-action midfielder in the heart of battle in one of the world’s most physically demanding leagues, it’s quite a record.
Not that he sees it that way!
Typically honest, driven, no airs and graces, the ‘Viking’ spoke to us after training on Tuesday, ahead of Thursday evening’s clash against Brentford at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (7.30pm).
I will always be there to help the team, always there to give my all, pain or no pain, 50, 60 or 100 per cent, I will always try to give 100 per cent. That’s who I am
What did he think of his half-century? “I don’t like to look at these things because, in the end, what’s important are the results, how the team is performing and what we achieve as a team,” he said. “It’s nice to be involved, very nice, very nice to feel important, but this isn’t something I want to celebrate. I just want to try to keep working.
“Football... you never know what comes tomorrow, but you can make sure of what you do today. I’m very proud, my beliefs and ambitions are very high, and I believe in the way we are working, the way the Club is going forward and it’s nice to be part of that. But... there is a lot of work to be done. That is without a doubt.”
Whether or not he wants to celebrate it, it was still put to the 26-year-old that 50 straight starts and only four minutes missed is quite an achievement, not least playing in those midfield minefields where an injury could always be just around the corner. What was his secret to always being available?
“It’s important to live football,” he stated. “For me, it’s a way of life. That’s how I’ve always seen it. I enjoy it, I enjoy the long hours, the extra work, the small details here and there. I like to take care of myself, but I also think, of course, if you want to be a big player, you take care of yourself in a good way.
“For me, that’s normal, that you’re aware of your body, that you’re aware of what you do outside of the pitch. That’s something I demand from myself and my surroundings.
“In over 50 per cent of the games there is a pain here, a pain there, a doubt here, a doubt there, but luckily the mind is much stronger than the body and if you manage to come across that, you’ll come a long way.
“Again, for me, it’s not a celebration or a target to play 50 games in a row. I didn’t know! I try to make myself available and help the team. Then, it’s up to the coach to make his decisions. I will always be there to help the team, always there to give my all, pain or no pain, 50, 60 or 100 per cent, I will always try to give 100 per cent. That’s who I am.
“I’m not the most talented player that my team-mates will come across, but I am one who they can trust 100 per cent and know that even when it hurts, I will be there; even when it’s difficult, I will be there, because that’s how I grew up, that’s who I am, and that’s how I want my kids to grow up. It’s a bigger question than football. If life isn’t going your way, it doesn’t mean you turn your back on it, no.
“The last, and most important thing, is that I enjoy it a lot. I do it with a lot of passion and a lot of joy. I love coming in. I love seeing the people. I love working here. So, first of all, I do it all with a lot of joy.”
Finally, we asked if we could 'celebrate' again if Pierre managed to get to 100 straight starts in the Premier League... “51 is most important, then 52, then 53 and whatever happens in the future, let’s see,” he smiled.
