Whirl-wijn! STEVEN: IT’S 100MPH ...BUT I LOVE IT HERE
STEVEN BERGWIJN says he is being pushed to his limits in Spurs’ glory quest.
It is now 12 months since the Dutch international landed in the Premier League with an almighty bang – and it has been a whirlwind for the winger, 23. A winning goal on his debut against Manchester City was just the start of a rollercoaster year for the former PSV Eindhoven flyer.
The playmaker has found himself caught up in a push on four fronts as boss Jose Mourinho battles to serve up silverware to supporters who have been starved of it for the past 13 years.
With a new son in tow, lockdown and a life-changing move to North London, things have certainly been different for Bergwijn – and the relentless nature of the Premier League is taking its toll.
He said: “It’s been demanding – yes, 100 per cent.
“I don’t think I’ve played this many games throughout my career. I like it. I like the games. Everything has changed for me since I joined Spurs. The intensity of the games, the number of them and also the travelling. “And I cannot say that I am not tired. I am. “Of course I am, you feel it. But it’s the job and playing the games helps. This season was different at the start but I’m feeling confident and I’m happy to be here.”
Spurs fans gained an insight into Bergwijn through the All or Nothing documentary which charted the details of his move from the Eredivisie giants to Tottenham.
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 initial plans have come to fruition. Bergwijn’s support network is very close to hand.
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 okay. My parents live near me in England, so it’s not been a problem.
“Actually, they live opposite me. If we need help with the little one, they are there for me. And I can see them when I want – which is good because they’ll make some food for me.
“My sister is back in Holland, so not everyone is here but it’s definitely made it easier for me to have most of my family over here.”
One thing that could have made life more difficult for the wideman was Gareth Bale’s arrival.
However, he has managed to play in a number of games and it is noticeable that Bergwijn has played when Mourinho’s side are playing their top-six rivals.
“I was happy to see Gareth,” he said, “We are playing a lot of games so we need top players. He’s won a lot of trophies and I’ve seen him play plenty of times in the Champions League.
“We’ve got a lot of competition now and I think that makes everyone better.
“I’m a team player. I do what the manager asks and it’s not a problem.”