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Nuno demands Tottenham outcasts work harder to change his mind as reserves fail to challenge ailing starters
Nuno Espirito Santo has questioned the commitment of some of his Tottenham players and told the players stuck outside his first XI to work harder to change his opinion.
Nuno left Dele Alli and Harry Winks out his squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie at Burnley after Winks had laid bare his frustration at his lack of opportunities, in an honest interview following last week’s defeat to Vitesse Arnhem in the Europa Conference League.
Winks was also left out of the subsequent defeat to West Ham on Sunday, with Dele an unused substitute.
Nuno has refused to say if they will return to the squad for Saturday’s crunch meeting with Manchester United but he took aim at some of his squad players before the game in North London.
The head coach’s comments echoed similar criticism from captain Hugo Lloris after the humiliating defeat to Dinamo Zagreb last season, when he accused players not in the XI of failing to support the team.
“At the end of the day what we want is for all the players to be involved and committed,” said Nuno, who was answering a question about Tanguy Ndombele’s return to the team after he was overlooked at the start of the season.
“This word is very important, ‘commitment’ is very important. When you are committed, you understand better some decisions. You are more patient and keep doing what you should do. You focus on your task, day after day.
“I wish all the players were equally committed,” he added. “It would be absurd to tell [you] that is the reality because the players have their own expectations.
“Many of them work very, very hard during the week. And then comes the weekend and the coach decides to go with other players.
“It’s not because you are not committed, but you are upset. You are annoyed. That is respectful. It doesn’t have to do with the commitment of these players.
“These players have to go beyond. They have to make a conscious effort that they have to go again from the beginning of the week to change the opinion and the idea of the manager.
“This is how it works. In this industry, this is what the player should do. Unfortunately, it’s not what is always happening.”
Meanwhile, Nuno says under-pressure Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer deserves more respect.
Solskjaer is fighting for his job ahead of Saturday’s game following United’s 5-0 thrashing by rivals Liverpool last weekend.
“I think he deserves all the respect because every time I was with Ole, and we have faced each other many many times, he is a wonderful person. A respectful man. And I really admire him,” Nuno said.
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