One on One | "We need to be brave, we need to be strong!" Solanke on Spurs' fight for survival.

0:04We players know that we haven't been good enough, but we're trying desperately to turn that around. So we need everyone, fans included, to help us give us that extra boost and hopefully we can turn it around as soon as possible.

0:23Hello and welcome to another one-on-one from Sky Sports with me, Joe Thomlinson. the podcast where we chat to some of football's biggest names. And welcome to another emergency pod. As I talk to you now, I've literally just finished chatting with Tottenham Hotspur's main man up top, Dominic Solanke. He joins Spurs from Bournemouth in the summer of 2024, so we've seen Ange come and go, Frank come and go, and now Igor Tudor's arrival. There's been plenty of high highs, including that Europa League win, and now some real low lows, as they currently battle to stay in the top flight. Coming off the back of a really testing result in Madrid and with Liverpool and Anfield up next, to say it's been a difficult time for the club would be an understatement.

1:03But as ever, Dom fronted up and sat down to talk it all through. So here is my one-on-one with Dominic Solanke.

1:14Dom, thanks so much for joining me today. Let's touch a little bit firstly on midweek. Take us inside that dressing room after the Atletico Madrid result. What was it like? yeah obviously difficult we obviously know we've been great in the Champions League this year so we wanted to kind of carry that on carry on that momentum but yeah obviously we all know it's not a secret the first 20 minutes was difficult very difficult circumstances which are one in a million these things happen so that was obviously difficult gave us a bit of a mountain to climb but no I think overall like I said if that stuff doesn't happen the game The game could have been a lot closer, so we need to try to take some positives, and we know we've still got another game to go.

1:58It was one of the most bizarre games, wasn't it? Because like you said, that first 20 minutes, and after that, you go and basically win the rest of the game. So how did you find it personally, playing in that level, in that environment, because it felt like an intimidating atmosphere? Yeah, it's difficult. It's one of those things where you never prepare for that to happen. You prepare all week to go into the game and have your game plan. Yeah, obviously, stuff like this can happen in football. It's rare, but it can happen and we have to deal with that. Yeah, like you said, the rest of the game we showed glimpses and obviously it's not ideal to have that kind of mountain to climb, but we know we've got another leg at home, so we'll give everything to turn around.

2:38Obviously there's a lot of leaders in this squad, I'd say yourself as well, one of the senior players here, one of the leaders. What were the leaders in the dressing room saying? Who are the people that are most vocal in that sort of situation? Yeah, I think there's a few this year, to be fair. I think especially with the moment we're in, we need everyone to try chipping and be vocal and help each other. And I think that's great this year. We have a lot of the senior boys, but we have a lot of young boys as well, which are starting to speak more as well, which is important because, like I said, we all need to help each other in these moments.

3:06Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about some of those young players because do you see yourself now as being almost like a little bit of a mentor to some of them? You obviously came through really high-level academies and obviously these players are in big pressure situations. Do you see yourself relating to them a little bit? Yeah, 100%. I think I'm a lot older than some of the boys in the team now. Yeah, that was me at one point. So I know what it kind of takes for someone more senior to help on and off the pit. So yeah, I think this season definitely that's something that I've definitely stepped into and tried to help not just the young boys, but everyone and try to be a leader as well.

3:43I just want to touch upon one of them in particular, Archie Gray, who I think is having such a good season, standing out. He's really a leader himself at times on the pitch. I think today's his 20th birthday as well, so happy birthday, Archie. But what season like he's had from that perspective? Yeah, he's a phenomenal player, great guy. And he's one of the boys that I've been speaking as well, which he has every right to. And I think you've seen him playing all over the pitch this season. So he's such a versatile player and he's still so young. So it's great to have him in a team and he's got so much potential.

4:13but even now you can see how much it adds to the team as well. So you said then he was one of the ones speaking, so is that in the dressing room? He's in there telling people what he wants from them, he's demanding himself? Yeah, 100%. I think, like I mentioned, us older boys have been talking but recently we know that the position we're in, we need everyone to speak and everyone to help each other because it's not just a few of us that's going to try and get us out of it, it's the whole team. So we want to try to build a bigger connection with everyone and everyone has the right to speak. and let's talk a little bit about the manager as well what's he been saying behind the scenes what was he saying post the Atletico game in the dressing room?

4:49Yeah well straight after the game I had doping so I wasn't actually in there but obviously now we've spoken since and it's sort of the same really it's hard to speak after this game with what happened at the start but like I said we've got another game to go which will give everything to turn it around but yeah we need to try to take positives as well like I said we've been so good in the Champions League this year we know we haven't been anywhere in the good enough in the league but the Champions League was something that we took pride in so yeah we still got another chance You seem to have a really positive attitude I would say going into this situation is that something you've really worked on away from the pitch?

5:28Is it something you go home and dedicate yourself to trying to stay positive having a really strong mental attitude? Yeah I don't think we're in the moment to be dwelling on anything and being too negative like I said we'll be the first to admit that we haven't been good enough but we need to make sure that we try to turn it around as soon as possible we know football can turn in a click of our fingers it can change so quickly so we're just waiting for that moment we're all working so hard to try to turn that around and I'm positive that we can and like I said hopefully we get that one result and kick on from there Let's touch upon your own form then because goal scoring wise they're going in I mean Atletico Madrid goal previous game goal how are you finding your own form this season where do you stand on that yeah it's been been a very difficult season for me obviously I missed um yeah I think it was like over half of the season so it was was a very difficult first half but um yeah I was obviously chomping at the bit to come back and help the team and um yeah I've enjoyed being back out there playing um like I mentioned it's obviously tough times at the moment but um I want to be one of the ones responsible to try help get us out of this situation.

6:38So, yeah, I think scoring goals is great, but we've got more important things to focus on on trying to get the results. Obviously, the injury situation has made big headlines here. You're yourself coming back from an injury now. How hard is that coming back from an injury, hitting the ground running straight away? Because quite a few of the senior players here have had bad injury times. Yeah, it is very difficult. I think it's not excuses, but it's been very difficult with a lot of the injuries that we've had. and people coming back and then people missing out, people playing out of position. So it's been tough, but it's part of football.

7:12You know, we need to get on with it. And when the boys come back, we need everyone to be ready, you know, especially some of the boys coming back now. We're really excited to try and get them back on the pitch as well. And we can all help. How have you coped with that away from the pitch? Because I think it's not really talked about, is it, amongst the public? You know, it's one thing losing a player to an injury, but that player has to deal with that. and it's a mental battle to get back on the field. So how do you cope with those injury problems away from the pitch? Yeah, it's difficult, but I think you just have full focus on trying to get back fit.

7:44We all want to be playing on the pitch. We all want to be out there helping the team. So it's difficult when you're injured and not able to help the team. So it is difficult, but like I said, you have that motivation to just try to get back as soon as possible and that's kind of what keeps you going. And how have you found playing in this new system? Because you've played in a few different systems now, a few different roles. How have you adapted to that? Yeah, obviously it's different. A lot of the time throughout my career, we've played with four and then sometimes five. So everyone has different styles of playing, but we need to just try to make sure that we adapt right and use it to our advantage.

8:18And I think obviously it's hard to say too much about it right now because we haven't been getting the results, but I'm confident that hopefully soon we can turn that around. How has that role changed? I think it's quite interesting to delve into that a little bit. from your perspective as a striker, because you've played in multiple different systems, multiple different clubs, I mean, multiple different leagues as well. How has the number nine role changed since you were young? Many ways, to be fair. I think football's always adapting, especially this year. You see football has changed a lot as well.

8:51So, yeah, I think in this day and age, for sure, I think there's always, people are always trying to find different ways to get an advantage and what can help them. So you always have to adapt. and yeah, I think number nine is probably different to back in the day. But yeah, like I said, you have to adapt these days. Yeah, you mentioned there this season, it's very different. I mean, the throw-ins, the penalty box from a striker's perspective, what is it like being in that mix, having to sort of fight off 10 people in a six-year hub box space? Yeah, like I said, it is different. I think obviously everyone wants to score the perfect goal, play a nice build-up.

9:28But yeah, it's part of the game these days. These teams are taking advantage of long throw-ins and corners and stuff. So it is definitely different. But like I said, everyone's adapting to try to win, you know. So at the end of the day, we need to win, teams need to win. So you have to play to your advantage. Yeah, and that role that you're playing in now, there's some unbelievable names in that number nine role across the world. I look at the likes of Kane and Haaland and Mbappe. when you look at the rest of Europe who do you look at as being the guy right now that is the best in that area yeah I think obviously Harry Kane is putting up incredible numbers and yeah I'd say him and Mbappe yeah they've been phenomenal this season yeah pretty much every game you check the scores and they've scored and they bring so much to the team as well I suppose you might be having the chance to play with Harry Kane this summer if things go your way do you have one eye on that World Cup situation Yeah, 100%.

10:26I think at the start of the season that was everyone's aim. But I think my full focus is on the club at the moment. I think, yeah, like I said, there's no hiding the situation we're in right now. So, yeah, obviously I would love to be at the World Cup, but I want to try to help the club get out of this situation first. And, yeah, if I do well enough and we do well enough, then hopefully I can be there. But at the moment, that's a first thought. Have you spoken to Thomas? Yeah, we spoke a few games ago. He came to the game, so we had a conversation after that game, yeah. Okay, nice. So if it does go well, we should look ahead to the next game.

11:03Liverpool is a massive one. What are your thoughts going into it? It's another opportunity. I think that's the way we have to see it now. It's another opportunity for us to turn around the form, turn around the results. And it's not going to be an easy game. No game in the Premier League is easy, but especially away at Anfield, we know it's going to be difficult, but we have to believe, we have to be brave and I think on our day we can beat anyone but we just have to show it and do it on the pitch. That first game was really close, wasn't it, at Tottenham? I mean, it all came down to potentially little incidents effectively changing the game.

11:37Do you take positives from that first performance and from that first result, even though it was a loss? Yeah, for sure. I think it's always important to look at the positives even when you do lose but like I said on our day, we're good enough to beat anyone we haven't showed it anywhere near enough recently but like I said it's something that we want to change and the weekend's just another opportunity to do that So how do you go about changing this situation at the moment you haven't seen it there something's got to change what are you talking about how do you go about changing it ahead of this Liverpool game?

12:09It's hard to put a finger on just changing one thing I think we need to be better in every department to be honest but we're trying to stay positive we all want to change it around we all want to be be the ones out there to change it as well. So we need to be brave, we need to be strong and have full belief, which I think we do, so I'm sure we'll be fine. And obviously you're going to be coming up against Virgil van Dijk, one of the best Premier League centre-backs. Do you relish that kind of challenge? Yeah, of course. I see Virgil's an ex-teamate of mine, had some good battles against him. So yeah, you want to be playing against the best players in the world.

12:45I think that's what we dreamt of when we was younger, playing against the best. and yeah, it's going to be another good game. And obviously the fixture list coming up is really tough. You've got Liverpool, then you've got Atletico, then you've got the crunch game against Forest. Are you guys looking that far ahead or are you just taking it week by week at this stage? I think we're just taking it game by game at the moment. I think that's important to do, not to look too far ahead. We need to focus on the next game and figure out what we can do to get the result. Finally then, do you have a little message for Spurs fans ahead of this Liverpool fixture?

13:16Because it's such a big game, not only for you, but also for everybody watching at home. Yeah, I think obviously we players know that we haven't been good enough but we're trying desperately to turn that around. So we need everyone, fans included, to help us give us that extra boost and like I said, hopefully we can turn it around as soon as possible. Dom, top man. Thank you. Thank you very much. So there we go. You have to say, given the circumstances, it is never, ever easy to do an interview like that but what a lovely professional guy Dom Solanke is. So fingers crossed for him and Spurs across what is going to be nine cup finals in this Premier League season.

13:56Okay, that's it for another episode of One on One. We'll be back with another podcast soon. So if you don't already, why don't you give this show a follow so you never miss out. Look out for our interviews on Sky Sports News and on our YouTube channels. I'll chat to you very soon.

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