Technical Director Johan Lange spoke to Ben Haines at Hotspur Way on Tuesday to talk us through the January transfer window...
Ben: Johan, thank you so much for sitting down with us. It’s only 12 hours after the transfer window closed, and I assume it’s been a very late night with some new signings coming in. Just talk us through the transfer window as a whole - what did you make of it?
Johan: "I think the January transfer window is always a difficult transfer window. Normally, around 10% of all transactions happen in a January transfer window compared to the summer. We came into the window with the ambition of trying to strengthen in certain areas, and I think we sit here, after the window, having signed a new goalkeeper, a centre-back, and an offensive player as well. So, that’s where we are, and overall, we’re very satisfied with that."
We’ll come to January and the nature of the window in a second, but talk us through the signings. I assume you picked out the positions you wanted to fill. Let’s start at the back with the goalkeeper...
"Toni is a goalkeeper we have followed for quite a long time. He was a target, and we were considering signing him in the summer, but due to Vicario’s injury, we decided to see if we could move it forward to January. He’s a goalkeeper who, despite his young age, is quite proven. He has been in goal in the Czech divisions for the last few years. For me, he’s a very modern goalkeeper, and a goalkeeper who suits our style of play. We have watched him a lot, probably 10 or 12 times live since the summer, and we have very detailed notes on him as a character. So, we’re very excited that he’s now at the club and, of course, will come in and compete."
You had looked at him for the summer - how difficult is it to then bring something forward to January?
"It’s not always easy, of course. I think he was very, very impressed to learn about all the intel we had on him, how we had followed him for a long time, we know a lot about him, also as a character. Of course, he had a conversation with Ange about the more specific aspects of our style of play, and I think that definitely helped him feel comfortable making the move mid-season."
Let’s go into the defence. Kevin Danso seems like a really good stylistic fit. I assume that plays a huge part when you’re trying to find a signing like him?
"Yes, the stylistic fit is always important. The way we play, we need players who are able to come in and perform within that style. Kevin, as you rightly say, he’s a very good stylistic fit, but also, he comes in with a lot of experience, both in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 in France, as well as with the Austrian national team. He’s at a good age, with the experience to come in and take a role from the first day. Getting to know him more and more, I’m sure his personality will play a huge factor in the dressing room going forward."
A late night on deadline day... tell us about Mathys Tel, and what we can expect from him as well...
"Mathys is a fantastic talent. He’s in a very unique group of players who, at a young age, have already played a lot of football at a very high level. I think he’s played around 60 games in the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich, in the Champions League, he’s played 15 or 16 times for Bayern already, at the age of 19. He’s a versatile attacking player who has the X-factor. Hopefully, he will bring excitement to the stadium. He’s a player all of us can’t wait to set free at our club, and hopefully, we will share many fantastic experiences together in the future."
Let’s talk a bit about January. There’s always the phrase, 'it’s a difficult time to do business'. Fans will no doubt be wondering about the timing of the business, with some deals happening towards the back end of the window, while others were completed early in January...
"It’s a fair question. As a club, we were ready to do business from the first of January. But it’s not as easy as that. This January, in particular, the dynamics changed a little bit. We’re not the only team who has injuries. Also the dynamic of the new European competition format, both meaning that clubs competing in Europe this season had to play group matches in January, which is never the case. Normally, the clubs will know their fate in the European competition in December but the fact is now there are still two group games in the last part of January, as well as more teams going through to the group phase into the play-off stages. Those things meant the clubs were more reluctant. It’s about finding the right players to come into the team. It’s not just about buying the first players available, it’s also the right player both for now, but also for the future. If you look at the first two weeks of January, I think there were only 12 transfers within the whole Premier League. That says a lot. You can influence things, but you can’t completely dictate the entire transfer window’s dynamics. Some players are also uncomfortable making a change mid-season because they want to see the season out. They want to arrive at a new club having a full pre-season. We’re asking players and their families to make a move in 24 hours - you’re leaving your country, you’re starting and playing the next day. There are a lot of factors and most transactions are done in the summer. But as I said, we were ready to go from the first of January, and I think, sitting here, we spent all days of the window trying to get business done. We brought in three players we are certain will contribute to the club in a very positive way."
Strategically, how difficult has it been to plan for the future, while at the same time knowing we have players coming back from injury soon as well?
"Yes, from our club this January, it has played a factor and during the January window we have also suffered new injuries, which added to the equation as well. And the injured players will, of course, come back, so you on one hand want to see what you can do right here right now, but you're also knowing that you have very good football players returning from injuries very soon. So it’s also about getting the whole squad composition right at the same time."
Can you take us into the process of how you go about signing players, in terms of making decisions on who it is? Is it a dialogue between you and Ange, for example?
"We are building here a very strong and robust evidence-based infrastructure. So the plan will arrive, with Toni in the beginning of the of the market, when we presented to him and the same with Mathys as well, I think they were very impressed by the detailed knowledge we have of them, of what they have done in their career so far, how we anticipate they will perform in our style and system, as we know about their character, et cetera. And then, of course, Ange, myself and the scouting department, we have meetings, and then every transfer we have done since I arrived at the club has, of course, Ange has a conversation with the player as well. So, we are building here, and that is a key component to be successful, a very strong infrastructure in the club, because the league and the market we are in are very competitive."
The last time we spoke over the summer, we'd just made some exciting signings, how nice has it been for you and the club to see those signings come in and fit the culture, the style, and have an impact on the pitch as well?
"When we are doing the scouting process, there are many elements, and one of them is character. And, of course, to see players, irrespective of age, coming in and taking a lot of responsibility and play with courage is of course very pleasing to see. For Archie and Lucas, there’s no doubt that this period will benefit their overall development so much, and Dominic has been outstanding all season in the way he has played in and out of possession and what he’s done tirelessly for the team has been a pleasure to watch."
Can I ask you a bit about the players that have gone out on loan? So, Will Lankshear, Yang Min Hyeok’s gone out, and Luca Gunter as well - how exciting is that for them, and how important is that for the club?
"The loan market for me, it’s a very important step for the players' development. Over 80% of all the players making their Premier League debut have been out on loan. And if we take some of the most important players in this club’s history, they have also had loans as part of their development. So, to have a strong loan process is very important. And, of course, now with Will, Luca and Yang, we felt that it was the right step in their career to go out and get more regular game time in good environments, and that is an important part, and they will return in the summer, and they are ready to compete in pre-season."
Let’s talk a little bit more about the loan system, because we’ve now got a number of players who are out on loan and performing really well as well. How close an eye do you keep on those players and what can you tell us about the lads on loan?
"The loans, which are under Andy Scoulding, who’s doing an amazing job with the loan players, following their development, because when they are out on loan, they are in a different environment, they still need to feel part of this club, even though they’re not here on a day-to-day basis. We follow them closely, watching the games, trying to get them in once or twice a year to come back into the environment here, to hear how they are. For us, it’s important that, of course, they are in another club, but they are still fully part of this football club here. And as I said before, in the years to come, this will be a natural step in most of the players' development."
It’s been wonderful to watch just from the outside, seeing the progression that some of them are making and the impact that they’re having at their clubs on loan. Just finally, we are now going into the business end of the season, but with Spurs still in four competitions, Ange has mentioned there’s still an opportunity to do something really special. Just give us your take on where we currently sit as we go into the final stages of the season...
"That’s absolutely right. We are still in the four competitions, we are one game away from having an amazing opportunity to go to Wembley, and in the Europa League as well as the FA Cup, we are highly ambitious. With the new format, we were a team that qualifying from the top eight in the group phase of the Europa League, and we want to push in that competition as well. Then, we all know that we would like to be higher in the table. But with all the adversity this group has gone through, seeing the courage that the players are playing with, the resilience they are showing in difficult moments, and the togetherness within the group... I think the players should be immensely proud of that. And, as I said, we still have the opportunity to make this a very, very special season, and I am very excited about that. And I think we should be dreaming about making this a special end to the season."