What have you made of your time in Japan?
I'm really happy to be here. It's my first time in Japan. Tokyo seems a wonderful city. We've been very well received at the hotel and at the training complex, so excited to see the stadium. I've only just arrived but looking forward to that and of course looking forward to the game because that's why we're here.
Last season was a good one for the team, but for future development what do you want to achieve this season?
Obviously it was our first season working with the new manager. It was a good season. I think we learned a new way of playing, a new philosophy, but I think we've got to strive to have more than just a good season. We've got to be achieving big things and making history and getting our hands on silverware really. We only do that by keeping on improving as a squad, as players, looking to be better and that's the beauty of starting a new season. We're starting fresh, we've come back with the benefits of having a year under the manager and really kicking on and striving to achieve more than we did last year.
Before you joined Tottenham, you spent a year at Leicester with Shinji Okazaki, do you still have contact with him or coming over to Japan have you exchanged any messages?
No, we haven't exchanged any messages recently. I'm still in contact with Shinji Okazaki, that's one of the beauties of social media these days and one of the positives is that you can keep relationships with a lot of people who are part of your life. You're correct in saying we had one year together, my first year in the Premier League, which feels a long time ago now, and Shinji almost played like the number 10 for Leicester, so I took a lot from his game, Premier League winner and a really nice, humble guy.
To be honest, I get that feeling from Japanese people in general, so humble and so polite and Shinju epitomised that really. So yes, we're still in contact, he's a good friend, he's great player and a brilliant dancer as well on the team nights out. So really good.
What kind of influence have you received from Ange Postecoglou and what do you think is special about this manager?
We’ve had one full year together now. It’s definitely a philosophy and a type of football that’s not too similar to anything I have played with other managers. But I think it’s brilliant. It’s very attacking, it's very front-foot, as we say in England. You have to work very hard, extremely hard in every session and every game. But that’s ultimately what we love and I think we can be successful. I'm not saying it because he's sat next to me, but I believe that this way of playing and if we follow it how we should, it can bring success to the football club.
I genuinely believe that, but we’re only one year in and we're still building and we’re still learning and still adapting to his style. We’re obviously a year better off in knowing what he wants from us and the messages are very clear and there and we debrief a lot on what we should be doing and how we want to play and the philosophy that is Tottenham Hotspur and our way. We talk about that a lot and hopefully that can bring us success and we'll all be very happy then.
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