‘Didn’t think I played well enough’ – Spurs star gives honest assessment on poor season
Dejan Kulusevski has admitted that he was not happy with the level of his performances during the 2022-23 season but insisted that he learned a lot about himself as a result of his struggles. It was a campaign to forget for Tottenham, who limped to an eighth-place finish, which was their worst since 2009 and […]
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Dejan Kulusevski has admitted that he was not happy with the level of his performances during the 2022-23 season but insisted that he learned a lot about himself as a result of his struggles.
It was a campaign to forget for Tottenham, who limped to an eighth-place finish, which was their worst since 2009 and means the club will not be playing any European football next season for the first time in well over a decade.
Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Kulusevski admitted that it proved to be a painful and frustrating ride for the players, who were not unable to get the results back on track no matter what they tried.
The winger, who completed a permanent move to Tottenham a few days ago, told the club’s official website: “It’s been a long season, when you think of when we started, it feels like about three years ago! It’s been quite a ride, up and down, very frustrating, I think.
“We started well, so you have to sum it up in many ways, before the World Cup, after the World Cup… before the World Cup, it feels like another season.
“You have to think about a lot of things. I’m happy, I’m grateful, I think I’ve learned a lot. Of course, I’ve been disappointed personally after the World Cup, I didn’t think I played well enough.
“Also, the team hasn’t been good enough, especially in the last few months where we tried everything, but it just wasn’t to be.”
Kulusevski revealed that he was a little too eager to get back into good form, insisting that he now understands he has to be able to move on from bad performances.
Kulusevski learned a lot from poor Spurs season
When asked what he learned from a personal standpoint, the 23-year-old said: “I’ve learned a lot about momentum, not just in football, but in life.
“Momentum is big, when you feel good, when you’re on top, you have to beat your opponents. So, for instance, when you’re playing well, you have to attack, you have to score goals but when you’re up against it, you have to be more together as a group.
“There are things where I have to grow, when things are going badly, you have to forget (about them) as quickly as possible. This season was too much about why things aren’t going as well as they should, then you think, ‘I have to change this, I have to change that’ but then you lose the focus on yourself.
“Personally, for me, I’ve learned I have to stay on my path, keep doing what I do good and continue to do it.
“For the first time in my life I got an injury, then I came back and got another, and that messes with your head, because you think, ‘am I doing something wrong? Why do I keep getting injured?’ and you think you have to change this, do this, and then there’s the World Cup, that was difficult as well.
“For every player, there are ups and downs, and it affects us all a lot, because this is what we love, we want to make people happy, we don’t want to disappoint the coach, our friends, families, ourselves, so it’s difficult.”
The Sweden international is in no doubt that the best is yet to come from him and is keen to get back to enjoying his football again.
He added: “I still think I can grow so much. I’m still young, I’m 23, I hope to play this game for many years, and I think I can improve a lot, especially in the head, because that’s where it all is – football here, everyone can play.
“I’m always positive. We all love this game. Eventually, the storm goes and it’s all smiles again.”
Spurs Web Opinion
It is easy to forget that Kulusevski is still only 23 years of age. He is clearly someone who is dedicated to improving and becoming the best player he can be, which is why I have no doubt that we will see the Swede evolve into a world-class player over the coming years.
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