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good grief you're a turgid poster
yes
- above, a post that nails it for everyone.
Learning from the Captain .
Frank was thinking how to bench him. National call-up might help with his transfer.
www.thetimes.com
Rise of Djed Spence: from crushed by Conte to England’s versatile asset
The full back was sent into a spiral by the Italian manager’s stinging barb but has been a revelation for Spurs and is enjoying proving doubters wrong after call-up by Thomas Tuchel
Rise of Djed Spence: from crushed by Conte to England’s versatile asset
Summarise
The full back was sent into a spiral by the Italian manager’s stinging barb but has been a revelation for Spurs and is enjoying proving doubters wrong after call-up by Thomas Tuchel
Hamzah Khalique-LoonatSeptember 03 2025, 4.54pm BST
Djed Spence keeps a mental note of his critics, especially Antonio Conte, who “shattered” his confidence, and the revitalised full back is enjoying proving the naysayers wrong after his England call-up.
Conte publicly criticised Spence when the versatile defender joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2022 as a 21-year-old, with the Italian manager distancing himself from him by saying: “The club decided to buy him.”
“Of course,” Spence said when asked whether he was hurt by the comments from his manager at the time. “Especially as a young player. I did really well, got promoted with Nottingham Forest. I am buzzing [at the time], I am going to sign for Tottenham.
The apparent antipathy of Conte, right, ensured that Spence endured a tough start to life at Tottenham
DAVID KLEIN/REUTERS
“So to hear comments like that wasn’t nice. It does shatter your confidence a bit. But, you know, I am a fighter. So, whatever I do I will try to do my best in everything I can. Fast-forward, I am here now, so I am happy.”
The defender subsequently struggled and Tottenham attempted to sell him, and struggled to find potential loan suitors before he had spells at Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa, although they did little to lift a listing club career, until last season.
It was during the previous campaign that he found favour with Ange Postecoglou, and despite being naturally right-footed, he played at left back when Destiny Udogie was injured.
Spence has started and played the entirety of Tottenham’s four matches this season, producing standout performances against Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup, and Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, under his new manager, Thomas Frank, whom he believes will be “amazing for the club”.
The defender, 25, was named in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad last week, before the World Cup qualifiers against Andorra on Saturday and Serbia on Tuesday. Should he play, it is understood that he will become the first Muslim to represent the England senior team.
The 25-year-old has become a key part of the Spurs team under first Ange Postecoglou and now Thomas Frank
HARRY LANGER/GETTY
To be where Spence is now is testament to the strides he has made on his “long journey” to becoming a valued Tottenham player.
“I would probably say the biggest hurdle is when I signed for Tottenham and I didn’t necessarily feel the love straight away, with the manager and everything,” he says. “I was on such a high going into the club, and then I almost came crashing down because of comments from the manager and not playing. I was in a difficult space.
“I went out on loan, was playing a bit and then stopped playing. Then I had the Euros that year [2023] with England Under-21s, but got injured right before. So, I couldn’t make it, which was, obviously, another disappointment because I would have loved to have gone, and the boys ended up winning.
“Sometimes, in football, when things go bad, they go really bad. I would say that was a point in my career where it was really tough.”
Conte was not the only manager who took aim at Spence. Neil Warnock, his former manager at Middlesbrough, criticised Spence several years ago, saying: “He could be playing at a top club in England or in non-League in five years.”
After winning the play-offs with Forest, Spence posed with the trophy, a Forest scarf around his head, and a chunky cigar between his teeth. “Oh, where’s my manners! Welcome to Twitter @warnockofficial,” he posted with a kiss-blowing emoji.
Spence celebrated his play-off final success with Forest in 2022 by posting this picture accompanied by a dig at former boss Neil Warnock
“I wouldn’t say I particularly have a list or anything,” Spence says when asked if he keeps a note of those who spurned him. “But I do have a mental note of people who doubted me, for sure, and it does feel good to prove them wrong.”
In doing so, he usurped a number of full backs who may have expected to be in contention for selection.
Among the full backs omitted from this squad are Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker, Ben White, and Kieran Trippier.
Spence in training with Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon before Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Andorra
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER BRADLEY ORMESHER
While Tuchel said he intends playing with two centre backs, the presence of Spence, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and the flexible Reece James indicates the ability to change tactical systems is on his mind.
Even if the England manager names an XI on paper with a back four, Spence gives the option to change in-game, and enable the team to build with three, four or five, attack with asymmetrical full backs, or defend in a back five.
He has played at both full back and wingback under Frank. Tino Livramento, the Newcastle United defender, is also capable of playing on either flank.
“Versatility definitely helps,” Spence says. “I was playing out of position last year, you could say. Left back is my position. Right back is my position. They’re both my position, it’s as simple as that really.”
Jonathan Northcroft
Why have England played Andorra eight times since 2006… but never faced Messi?
Spence’s willingness and ability to dribble upfield, at pace, adds directness to his team — especially valuable when opponents sit back and defend or press man-to-man.
Combine that technical ability with his physicality, tireless running and tenacity in one-on-ones, and Spence’s multifunctionality gives him an advantage over most other England full backs.
Whereas England’s attacking midfielders are often accused of being too similar to each other, the range of profiles at full back gives Tuchel a rich vein of tactical options to tap into.
“Everything is down to me, everything is in my hands,” Spence says. “I just have to keep doing what I’m doing. I had a good last season and a good start to this season. I have just got to stay focused and carry that momentum.”
