You say every experience makes you better – how has the experience of you managing Spurs since August made you better?
Thomas: “Everything. You learn about the club, how it is working. You learn about the staff, the players. Every person I am working with here. That definitely makes me better, no doubt about that. The more you know, the better decisions you hopefully can make, the more precise you are about what needs to be done to get us to where we all want to be. Where this fantastic club should be, at the top of the Premier League. That is where we want to be.”
I never believed that I would be talking to you about the fact that you are under pressure as a manager. How does it feel?
Thomas: “For me, it is only focussing on what I can affect. There is a lot of noise. I know that because I have been told that, I am not stupid. Of course, I know we want more good results, but I am also focussing on what I can see is actually working. We need to do more of that. I know we need to focus on being calm and do the right thing and keep carrying on. If we do that, then you know it is a random game. If we keep doing the right thing, then that randomness, hopefully, because we do more things right, and we have done that especially in the last six games, that randomness will turn, because we keep going after the positive and believe what we are doing is the right thing, then things will turn.”
Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy now that nearly every time you play at home, your team is under pressure and feel like winning is so difficult for them because they have done it on so few occasions in the last 12 months or even since you have been at the club?
Thomas: “I definitely think something, especially when we turn this around and we won three games at home in every competition in a row, that would be a big step. I think it would be a very good idea to start on Saturday, that unbeaten run at home, in many ways. Sometimes it can feel a little bit not as smooth or easy, just coming, but as soon as you turn that corner, things will be a little bit more smooth, if that makes sense. So, hopefully that energy and then the collaboration between the team and the fans that you felt second half against Villa, first half against Sunderland, that is what we need to get more of. When you have that, then it is a fantastic place, our fantastic stadium, our home. That is where we need to be. I mean it. Any successful team needs to create a fortress. I know it has been difficult, but that is what we are aiming for. The more we do, the more we believe, the more we do together, the better chance we have.”
Did you drive the process to bring John Heitinga through the door? Do you sense someone maybe with a bit of a point to prove as to what is happening in his coaching career recently?
Thomas: “Yeah, it was a process we did together. Of course, I was a big part of it, and of course, Johan, Fabio and I were the main drivers of that. I think he was a standout candidate with everything he has experienced. Of course, obviously a top playing career, that is one thing, but also, how he then did after that in terms of his experience in the Academy of Ajax. Of course, when you play there, that is one thing, but when you also go back and coach there, that is one of the best academies in the world. So, he walked the hard way, and then on top of that had two good experiences in the Premier League in West Ham and Liverpool. I have also been trying to stand out there, where there is a bit more noise and wind sometimes. That gave him a perfect profile. And then, of course, I met him now a few times before, and all the character reference we took, just a top guy, top integrity, top football person.”
Are you in a situation where you are going to have to bring someone in an attacking position in this window?
Thomas: “Yeah, it is what it is. We need to deal with what we have, but of course, it is, let me put it that way, Villa brought a little more experience and quality on the pitch that we were able to do there. But hey, it is what it is. We are in the market, as I said many times, to see if we can improve the squad, but it needs to be something that we improve the squad short and long term. It needs to be that decision. It can’t only be for the next four months. We need to think bigger picture as well. But of course, we know that we have a few offensive players down in that aspect.”
There is so much change – will it take a while for everyone to work out what they are doing?
Thomas: “Yes, but I know the one thing you don’t have in football is time. But the one thing that has also been proven right to success is time. So, it’s a little bit of a conundrum. You need time, not only me but everyone to gel and make this big engine tick and get up to momentum and pace and then it’s like an unstoppable force at one stage. That’s the big aim we are aiming for. But there are a few new people in and all of us to get to know each other and how we work and get the right process structure in place is important. Alongside that, we need to perform to our best ability in the most positive way and that needs to start on Saturday against West Ham.”
How did you sell the vision to Conor Gallagher to believe in your project?
Thomas: “Conor, I think, has a lot of good offensive abilities. You know, his ability to arrive in the box and score goals, his way of finishing. I think he’s a clever finisher. As well, I think his skills around the last third is good in terms of arriving in the right positions. I told him about the project and the plan with him and the club and what we are aiming for and all that suited him very well and also I think he suited us and I think we suited him.”
Is he also thinking he’s got a great chance of making the England squad (for the World Cup) this summer?
Thomas: “To be fair, that we didn’t speak about. Sometimes you could do that, he didn’t mention it, I didn’t mention it. I can imagine it’s important for him. For me, it was all about Tottenham and what he can add to us, short term long term, the vision for him and the club.”
You sign Conor Gallagher, you lose Richarlison for seven weeks – is it one step forward, two steps back at the moment?
Thomas: “It’s not a straightforward road, let me put it that way. I think we are probably what one inch away from a 3-2 winner against Bournemouth and we have eight points in four games with a bit more momentum and sometimes these bits need to drop for you as well and it seems like when we get a fit player back, another one gets injured. But that’s football sometimes. We need just to get through it and get through the tough spells and there’s only one way forward and that’s keep walking. If you are in a tough time, you can only walk forward and walk through it and work through it. So, be calm and carry on.”