I was thinking the same, seemed a bit underwhelming. He had decent stats last season, scored 10 and assisted 7. He also just turned 20 in February. I found this article about Spurs’s brutal preseason under Conte: please log in to view this image Tottenham Hotspur players were collapsing all over the place with Harry Kane needing to be sick during Antonio Conte's brutal two-hour training session in South Korea but Troy Parrott explained to football.london why he managed to make it to the end as others fell around him. After two hours of training in the Seoul World Cup Stadium in high temperatures and humidity, in which the Tottenham stars were put through various drills, match situations and two-touch and multi-touch matches, Conte unleashed his renowned pre-season nightmare on the players - 42 pitch-long runs, with very few brief stops, to see who lasted the distance at the end of their third training session in just over 24 hours. The target was 42 pitch-long runs at the end of the two-hour session for the players who came back earlier in pre-season and 30 for the international stars who returned just before the flight to Korea. Davinson Sanchez, Bryan Gill and newcomer Pape Matar Sarr were among the fittest and led many of the later runs by a distance, but it was Troy Parrott who led the group back in the 42nd and final run of the night. That was entirely fitting because just hours earlier, at a Tottenham Hotspur Global football development session with young adults from ChildFund Korea, Parrott had told football.london when asked how gruelling Conte's sessions were: "It depends who you ask. I'm quite a good runner naturally, but yeah it's been tough. It's been hard work but it's all preparation." https://www.football.london/tottenh...tal-tottenham-training-conte-son-24455485.amp
There is no reason at all why a professional footballer should nor be super fit It’s up to the individual However there all can’t be the same some are fitter
Magnificent comment this On the midfield debate, I don’t think we are talking up Embo enough. I think he’s enough games under his belt and he’s shown a bit of versatility dropping in deeper at times, I think he will get a LOT of minutes. Neil will get games too, but less than Embo IMO. On Neil, let’s not forget another highly rated midfielder who sometimes was inconsistent and went missing. A certain Jordan Henderson. Turned out canny the kid. He was often unconvincing.
All about opinions Bob, but I think he'll not get his place ahead of Huggins, unless he's injured of course. He's played very little 1st team football in this country, so would probably benefit from a loan, even until January. I'm delighted that AN rates him, but he's got time on his side.
Huggins hasnt played much 1st team football either tho, both look good prospects for sure. Im a fan of Hume and think he has something about him to be a quality player for us this season. Hope huggins is back soon from his injury as gives us some exciting options at fullback
I can just imagine Conte doing that. I am coaching through a pre season now. 2nd session in they went on a 'run'. It involved a 2 mile run to a public park, where there is a hefty hill at one end. You guessed it, hill repeats. They were on their arse a lot of them. Oddly some of the younger lads were worst off. After the hill repeats they were told session over, and they could go. Of course they all had to get the 2 miles back to cars and lifts and for most it meant a jog back. I had them back in for a lite session 2 days later and they were still knackered.
Agree. It's great that we have options as good as we have, after having to endure MacFadzean the season before last. If we do sign another full back, it will probably be a clear indication that Huggins is going to be missing for a while.
Whilst you should always look after a players welfare. You also have to do what is best for the team as a whole, you cannot keep waiting for someone to get fit and deliver on the pitch.
It was a stress fracture in the back wasnt it? I am no doctor, but I do know a problem with the back can create problems elsewhere. It may just be a case of patience being rewarded here. It is good we have a young Hume who may be a surprise package, or a dependable Gooch or Winchester, meaning we can be patient with him.
