Archie Gray spoke to the media in a press conference ahead of Tottenham's Europa League tie in Germany against Hoffenheim.

The 18-year-old was put in front of reporters after filling in regularly in recent months as a centre-back, a role he had never take on before joining Spurs. The England U21 international midfielder is now set to play as a left-back for the Europa League clash to help the north London club get some of the four points from the remaining two matches they need to bypass the extra play-off round in the competition.

Here's everything Gray said in his press conference at the PreZero Arena ahead of the game.

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A lot has been made about how physically demanding it is to play in Ange Postecoglou's team, but you've done a lot of cross country running growing up at national level, how do you find it as someone who's really fit.

I enjoy it and I think the best type of football us played when you've got to do lot of running and there's a lot of demands, so I enjoy it a lot.

I spoke to you in pre-season and you'd just played your first game or two as a centre-back, now six months on, you kind of are one, what kind of education has it been for you taking on some of the big centre-forward in the Premier League?

Yeah, obviously it's a different challenge but like I said in pre-season I'm grateful for every position I get to play in and I still am. Wherever the manager puts me I'm happy to play there and I'll always give my best for the team.

Have you turned to anyone to help you learn to be a centre-back and understand it?

Obviously I've been getting a bit of advice from Radu who I’ve played the most games with at centre back. I speak to Ben a lot, I'd say he's one of my good friends at the club. He's helped me a lot definitely in learning to be a centre-back. Micky and Cuti they've helped me especially along the way, Playing centre-back, it's different for me so they've definitely helped me a lot.

Injuries have created an opportunity for you, so do you see this period differently?

Obviously injuries aren't good and for the team they're never a good thing, especially in the toughest part of the season when you've got the most games. It's not a good thing and sometimes you can't help them. We're in a difficult position, but like you said it presents opportunities for players and I'm definitely grateful for being in the team and I'll keep doing my best wherever I'm played. I'll always do my best.

Given the Europa League brings a Champions League place if you win it, is it a priority?

The Europa League has always been a massive thing for us. We're in four competitions, that's another thing that's important. There's a lot of games but we want to win every game. It's a good way to get into the Champions League and obviously with where we are it will be difficult to get there in the Premier League. We've got an opportunity in the Europa League and hopefully we can take that.

You've shown a lot of maturity but it was a difficult afternoon against Dominic Calvert-Lewin on Sunday, would something like that shake you or do you use it as a positive to learn from?

No, I don't think it'll ever shake me. I don't think any negative in football will every shake me. It's something I can learn from. I spoke to my dad after the game and he just said you’ve got to learn from these things if you wanto be a good footballer. Obviously he was a footballer as well, you’re going to have games like that where you struggle. If you want to be a top, top footballer, you’re going to learn from those games.

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