Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IT’S WIJN AT ALL COSTS
Dutch star: Our push for trophies is driving me to the very limit now
STEVEN BERGWIJN says that he’s being pushed to his limits in Spurs’ glory quest.
It’s now 12 months since the Dutch international landed in the Premier League with an almighty bang at Tottenham – and it’s been a whirlwind for the 23-year-old.
A winning goal on his debut against Manchester City was just the start of a rollercoaster year for the former PSV Eindhoven flier.
The £27million winger has found himself caught up in a push on four fronts as Jose Mourinho battles to serve up success to supporters starved of silverware for 13 years.
With a new son in tow, lockdown and a move to north London, life has certainly been different for Bergwijn – and the relentless nature of the Premier League is taking a toll.
He admitted: “It’s been demanding – yes, 100 per cent. I don’t think I’ve played this many games throughout my career. I like it, though. I like the games.
“Everything has changed for me since I joined Spurs. The intensity of the games, the number of them and the travelling.
“And I cannot say I’m not tired, I am tired. Of course I am, you feel it. But it’s the job and playing the games helps.”
Spurs fans gained an insight into Bergwijn through the All or Nothing documentary that charted the details of his move from the Eredivisie.
He was shown around the club’s state of the art training ground with his family and suggested that they would be giving him some support during his move. And it appears that those plans have come to fruition as Bergwijn’s support network is a stone’s throw away.
He said: “It’s been a difficult year. I went back to Holland because I was injured during the first lockdown. But since then it’s been OK. My parents live near me in England, so it’s not been a problem.”
One thing that could have made life more difficult for the wide man was Gareth Bale’s arrival. However, he has featured in a number of games and it is noticeable that Bergwijn has played when Mourinho’s side are playing their Big Six rivals.
“I was happy to see
Gareth,” he said, “We are playing a lot of games, so we need top players.
“We’ve got a lot of competition now and I think that makes everyone better. For me, I’m a team player. I do what the manager asks.
“There’s always challenges for every player. If Harry Kane misses a few games then we need to step up. All of us.”