Postecoglou reveals Tottenham star being ‘late’ to training transformed his Spurs career

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou insists Yves Bissouma has been transformed since the midfielder turned up late to training in pre-season.

Spurs are currently second in the Premier League table after four matches with Postecoglou’s side picking up 10 points from a possible 12 so far this term.

Bissouma has been one of Tottenham’s best players in Postecoglou’s start to life in north London with the Mali international previously struggling to make an impact at the Premier League club.

The 27-year-old only made ten Premier League starts for Spurs last term after moving from Brighton in the summer of 2022.

Former Spurs boss Antonio Conte publicly called out the Tottenham midfielder for failing to grasp the tactical side of the game but credited the Malian for “improving”.

Speaking last season, Conte said: “The only player that is struggling a bit with the tactical aspect is Bissouma, but also he is improving a lot in every aspect.”

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Bissouma did suffer an ankle injury towards the end of last season, which saw him miss 12 matches, but now Postecoglou has explained how he has reignited the midfielder’s Tottenham career.

“I don’t know whether I have done anything specific with him,” Postecoglou said on talkSPORT.

“With all the players, it is about creating an environment, sometimes when you have had a disappointing season, you can blame the manager in the past.

“Ultimately, I said to all the players, it is about them now, you never start with a clean slate, but you can start with an opportunity to take hold of your career.

“Show me what you can do, and be the best you can be. I was lucky because Biss [Bissouma] was here from the first day I arrived.

“Many of the boys were playing international football, and I kind of grabbed him. The way he was training… at the time, the first three or four sessions, we mainly had young guys.

“I said ‘you can be a leader in this group’. I already knew of his ability, and the way he was training, I could see he got a lift with that.

“He was late the next morning, and I said ‘to be a leader means to be on time’, and he has been good since then.

“So, there is always lessons to be learned, but I think with him and all the other players, it is about creating an environment and framework to say, ‘well you should not have any excuses’.

“I am not going to allow you to have any excuses, and not be the best you can be. In that context, the rest is up to them.”