Former Tottenham man Toby Alderweireld reveals “tank was empty” after Champions League final heartbreak

Alderweireld reveals “tank was empty” after 2019 Champions League final

Former Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld has today lifted the lid on his Spurs career in an interview with The Evening Standard.

The Belgian, who made 236 appearances for the Lilywhites, revealed that he felt the team should have had a longer break after the Champions League final, as there was not enough time to get over the heartbreak suffered at the hands of Liverpool in Madrid.

The centre-back claimed:

“Afterwards the tank was empty. After a couple of seasons, it was one too many. When I look back now, we needed a bigger break to really have the desire to go again. The disappointment was too fresh.

“It was the same for everyone, even Poch. A manager’s career is different but the opportunity of Champions League Finals is [rare].

Former Tottenham man Toby Alderweireld reveals “tank was empty” after Champions League final heartbreak

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 12: Toby Alderweireld of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on July 12, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Tim Goode/Pool via Getty Images)

“I know for sure he loves Spurs, even to this day, and to achieve it with the club at the time would have been maybe the biggest achievement ever in Spurs’ history. So it’s logical. He needed time to refresh himself and get the desire to go again.”

“The Pochettino way is not the easy way”

Alderweireld also lifted the lid on what made the Tottenham team under Pochettino so enjoyable to watch and successful (despite the lack of trophies), revealing that:

“The team was so close. You get close because the Pochettino way is not the easy way,”

“You work so hard every day. Days off are very, very rare.

“You get the same as the army really. You get angry but you get fitter, you get better. Train on, train off! You do it and it creates a group, like, ‘Let’s do it together’. So that was the feeling, especially in the seasons with Leicester, Chelsea, the Champions League.”

Under new boss Nuno Espirito Santo, these ideals seem worlds away from what is being shown by Spurs players, but will he be able to turn it around?