Radu Dragusin explains how he's going to help Archie Gray and what he's learned from Postecoglou

Radu Dragusin spoke to the media at Ibrox Stadium on Wednesday evening ahead of Tottenham Hotspur's Europa League match against Rangers.

Spurs are in Glasgow to try to get their European campaign back on track after three straight wins were followed by a defeat at Galatasaray and a draw at home against Roma and head coach Ange Postecoglou is facing an injury crisis with new injuries to Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven adding to an absence list that already includes Guglielmo Vicario, Richarlison, Wilson Odobert, Ben Davies and Mikey Moore.

That leaves Dragusin as the only fit centre-back and our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to the 22-year-old Romania international and we've got the full transcript from the young defender's press conference below.

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You're the last man standing when it comes to fit and available central defenders, how does that make you feel?

Obviously, with the injuries it's always tough, you know, because you have to manage the players very well. Then when you go on the pitch, you have to give your best regardless of which position you're used to playing. We are a group of players with quality that I trust a lot, and, regardless of any injury problems we will go out there and do our best and try to play our football.

From the way the manager was speaking it sounds like young Archie Gray will come in and play alongside you in central defence tomorrow. How can you help him in a position he's not used to in what will be a very hostile atmosphere?

He's already played a couple of games as a centre-back, but, the way we train it is the same as the centre back and as a right back or left-back. So I mean, we have our principles and everybody knows their job. In a defensive way, everybody knows what they have to do, but of course I will try to help him and talk to him throughout the game.

In Galatasaray, you experienced a pretty hostile atmosphere and you're going to another one tomorrow with the extra spice of the old Celtic manager back at the home of his rivals, how do you go about handling that atmosphere?

I'm looking forward to it honestly, because I heard about the atmosphere here also, you know playing these European nights, it's a really nice way of improving, of experiencing this kind of pressure, let's say, with this atmosphere. We are looking forward to it and hopefully we're going to get the points.

Do you think you will be better at handling it than you were in Galatasaray, it looked like some players were shaken by it?

I mean the atmospheres differ from stadium to stadium. We're going to try to focus as good as we can tomorrow, and we're looking forward to the atmosphere.

How do you think Rangers will compare to the normal level you face in England? What do you know about them?

We analysed them in recent days, obviously and prepared for the match. So we know that they are a team that likes to put the physicality in. They like to bring this part of the game in their football. I think most of the game will be about winning our individual duels and trying to play our football.

Do you feel pressure that this is a game Spurs have to win?

Pressure is always present in any football game, regardless of the result that you had in the past. It's just something that we have to continue to stick to our principles, believe in our way of playing, and the results will come.

You've had almost a year now playing for Ange Postecoglou, how comfortable are you now with the style of football with the high line, the passing against the press and all that sort of stuff?

On a personal level, I think I've improved a lot. I feel like under him and under the staff I have evolved as a player and, like you said, the way we defend here, it was really different than the way I defended in the past. But I think it's a really nice way of playing football and enjoyable.

As you're the only fit centre-back now, can you feel like people around you, the staff, are trying to be careful with you and keep you fit as they can't risk losing you?

I don't think so. We train the same way we've always trained since I came here. So that's not an issue.. I mean, it's like, everyday stuff.

What do you put this kind of big injury list down to? Is it the fast training you do, the way you play or is it just bad luck or is it all of it?

Injuries will always be present in a squad, regardless of the way we train and the way we play. I really like the way we play because it's a very aggressive way. We catch a lot of offsides and we have an advantage on this defensive part.

Can you talk about how intense it is to play Ange's football every three days with that high line and having to run back and what do you feel like after a match?

Personally, I feel that I've already got the rhythm of it by playing. Especially in the last period, I played a couple of good games and I feel good. I can't say that I'm tired or anything.

Is it intensive though, having to run back in that high line when you're defending so high up the pitch?

It is, but we train for this every day and because of that, we can manage to do this every game. Like I said in the last games, I didn't feel any kind of issue of doing it.

You personally had a rough start in this competition against Qarabag and then a tough atmosphere in Galatasaray, what do you feel you've learned from this Europa League run?

Yeah, it's the first time I've played regularly in a European competition. So I didn't really know what to expect, but I think with the time I've grown in experience. I'm still in the beginning of my career and I have a lot to learn from it.

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