Maddison's touching words to Bergvall and Gray after Hoffenheim win
Sat 25 January 2025, 12:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
James Maddison has revealed the stirring words he said to youngsters Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray after our 3-2 win over Hoffenheim on Thursday night.
The 18-year-old pair both completed the 90 minutes at the PreZero Arena as we ultimately ground out three points on German soil with the duo running their socks off to ensure we got back to winning ways in the competition and lifted ourselves back into the automatic qualification spots for the round of 16.
Both new arrivals to N17 in the summer, the pair have had to bide their time for a run in the team as Ange Postecoglou looked to bed the talented youngsters into life at the Club and into life in England's top flight, however a number of injuries has seen that process sped up significantly.
Archie has now played in each of our last 16 games, completing the 90 in 14 of those, while Lucas has played in 16 of our last 17 games - and, at 18 years of age, Madders made it clear to them, at this level of the game, that toil is something that should not be underestimated.
To keep churning out 90 minutes every three days, for those lads, being out there with them... I’m just really proud of them.
"I'm really proud of the lads," Madders beamed at full-time. "A few of the boys were out on their feet at the end. We’re asking so much of the players at the moment, just because of the injury situation. I don’t want to keep bringing it up, but it is the situation we’re in.
"I’m so proud of the lads. I said to Lucas and Archie, ‘don’t underestimate what you’re doing at the moment, at 18’. Look, I’m 28, Sonny’s in his 30s, but to keep churning out 90 minutes every three days, for those lads, being out there with them…
"I mentioned Archie and Lucas, there are others as well but those two especially, churning out 90 minutes, battling at the end, Archie winning tackles, Lucas pressing the keeper in the 93rd minute... We’re asking so much of them at such a young age.
"If you ask the gaffer, he probably would have wanted to embed them slower than this, but they been thrown in at the deep end, and the bravery and courage they are showing at the minute, I’m just really proud of them."
