Micky van de Ven has slammed claims that Spurs players don’t care about playing for the club because they will be leaving in the summer transfer window.
Tottenham are enduring a dreadful campaign that has them teetering above the relegation zone in the Premier League and on the verge of exiting the UEFA Champions League.
The Lilywhites host Atletico Madrid on Wednesday evening for the second leg of their last-16 tie after losing the opening leg 5-2 in Spain.
Spurs, though, broke a six-game losing streak, the longest in the club’s history, with a spirited display at Anfield on Saturday that earned them a point against Liverpool.
For Van de Ven, it’s a sign that the squad has not downed tools despite reports that some players are more concerned about leaving the club at season’s end.
Micky van de Ven rubbishes claim Spurs players don’t care
“I’ve seen things going by, it’s not something I look at a lot, to be honest,” the Dutchman said at the pre-match press conference. “It’s reporters just saying something. So we’re just like, how do you even come up with this? Like players are switched off or don’t care about the situation. What’s happening right now?
“And the only thing I can say about it is it’s not true. It will be strange if a player will be in a dressing room now and saying ‘Oh, I’m gonna leave, either way or I don’t focus about the situation’.
“It doesn’t affect me. And I think it’s just nonsense. It’s the biggest nonsense. Everybody’s just focused on what’s going ahead and what’s in front of us.”
Van de Ven continued: “The other day when we read that one guy told the rest of the team that he doesn’t care because he’s leaving anyway. It’s like how does this come out? It’s just made up. And the fans will believe it. It’s just frustrating for us guys.
“It brings so much more trouble as well, because fans are starting to believe this, but trust me, all the people involved on the pitch, the staff, the players, everyone, they care so much about the situation we’re in right now, and we just want to turn things around.
“If there are some reports saying the guys don’t care anymore, it’s frustrating for our guys.”
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