Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven has rejected suggestions that Spurs players have “switched off” amid a tense Premier League fight, calling those reports “nonsense.”
Van de Ven missed Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Liverpool through suspension. The point left Tottenham just one above the relegation zone and adds pressure ahead of their Champions League last‑16 second leg, where they trail Atletico Madrid 5-2 from the first meeting.
Speaking before the trip to Madrid, Van de Ven pushed back on stories claiming players have lost interest. He said he had seen the headlines and was bemused at how such ideas take hold. Reporters, he suggested, sometimes manufacture narratives — including claims that individuals are indifferent or are already planning to leave — and those stories are misleading.
“People write things and then everyone starts believing it,” he said. “It’s frustrating for the players because you care about the situation. For me it’s frustrating because it changes how people look at me. I want to stay fit and help turn things around. I know my recent games haven’t been my best, but I give 100 per cent to this club.”
Van de Ven warned that rumours can create extra problems when supporters accept them as fact, undermining the squad at an already difficult moment.
Manager Igor Tudor described the draw at Anfield as a lift for the group while acknowledging he is still waiting for his first win in charge. The former Juventus and Croatia defender said one positive display can restore belief and that the players do care. “When you have one good performance, it gives confidence to everyone,” he said, adding that the team must be honest about what it can deliver on the pitch and build from that moment.
Sky Sports analyst Callum Bishop noted the Liverpool match showed a level of spirit rarely seen in Spurs’ recent domestic performances, likening it to the comeback draw at Manchester City in February. Bishop added that while Van de Ven’s defence of his teammates is understandable, players’ actions on the field ultimately shape public perception.
Discipline has fed the debate about attitude. Both Van de Ven and team-mate Cristian Romero have been sent off in recent fixtures, and Romero’s red card against Manchester United took his Premier League total to four since joining Spurs in 2021 — the highest number in that span. Such dismissals can be read two ways: evidence of aggression and commitment, or as unnecessary conduct that creates availability problems for the team.
The article closes on a familiar maxim: availability is the best ability. While injuries are often unavoidable, suspensions and other avoidable absences feed questions about commitment at a time when consistent contributions are vital.