Every word Micky van de Ven said in 'nonsense' rant and what Tottenham players really think

Here's every word the Tottenham Hotspur centre-back had to say about the reports of problems inside the club and his criticism of his own performances

Micky van de Ven has hit out at the suggestion that Tottenham players do not care about the prospect of relegation because they will just leave the club this summer.

Spurs got back on track with a battling draw at Liverpool on Sunday in the Premier League after a run of six defeats in all competitions. They remain just one point above 18th-placed West Ham in the table though and supporters have criticised the players at points for not caring as much as they do.

Some media reports have fed into that narrative with suggestions that some within the group care more than others about the plight of the north London club. Van de Ven, who was suspended from the trip to Anfield, hit out at the noise around Spurs and himself in particular and made his frustrations clear that the fanbase would then believe the stories.

Here's every word the Dutchman said at his press conference ahead of the Champions League last 16 second leg against Atletico Madrid on those problems, the red card of his career this month and plenty more.

There have been reports that some players have switched off and are thinking about next season. Have you heard that and how unfair do you think that is?

Yeah of course I've seen things passing by. It's not something I look at a lot to be honest. Reporters just say some things where you're like how do you even come up with this? Players are switched off or don't care about the situation that's happening right now?

The only thing I can say is it's not true. It would be strange if a player was in the dressing room now and saying I'm going to leave either way, or I don't focus about the situation because everything that's going to happen, it doesn't affect me. I think it's just nonsense. It's just like things they are bringing out.

People just start believing it. What I said - it's the biggest nonsense. Everybody is just focused on what's going ahead and what's in front of us.

It's been a difficult time for the team and yourself, how determined are you and how positive do you feel after the team got the point at Liverpool that Tottenham can get out of this situation?

Yeah, obviously I wasn’t there on the weekend, but I watched the game at home and I have seen some unbelievable mentality from the team. I think they showed big character and big mentality. It was a massive point over there and obviously we’re in a difficult situation right now. We all know we’re in a difficult situation, but what I saw from the guys at the weekend, it is unbelievable and the mentality is so strong. We just need to bring it tomorrow and then after tomorrow in the next game on Sunday.

How did you feel after being sent off against Crystal Palace?

I just apologised to the team. Obviously it was a game-changing moment. It was just a moment in the game where it’s just split-second decisions you make on the pitch and obviously it was not the best decision I made at that point. So devastated obviously when I needed to go in and saw the red card. At half-time I just apologised to the guys.

It's been such a strange season for you, In front of goal probably your best season but tough at the other end as a team. What's been the reason for that difference?

Yeah, what you, said, scored a lot of goals this season, but at the other end we're struggling this season a lot, and I think that's the most important for me, is that we just turn this around. If we don't even score goals anymore, we just start playing better and getting results. I think that's the most important part for me, so that's my main focus also, to turn this around with everyone involved.

You described earlier the 'nonsense' and some of the stories we hear from the players in the dressing room, are they just made up by people outside the dressing room, and what do you guys think when you read them, see them or hear them?

Yeah, what you said, sometimes we just read things by ourselves, by the players as well, and then we're just like, what is this? The other day when we read something about one guy that said to everyone that he's probably going to leave and doesn't care about the situation they're in, and then someone reads this and we're just like, how does this come out? People are just making things up, and it's just frustrating for us as well, because it brings so much more trouble as well, because the fans are starting to believe this.

They start saying, the guys don't care anymore what's going to happen in the club about the situation, but trust me, all the people involved on the pitch, the staff, the players, everyone, they care so much about the situation we're in right now. We just want to turn things around, and that's the most important, that's the main focus for everyone. And then if some reports just start saying that guys don't care anymore, it's just frustrating for our guys.

How frustrating is it that fans who once chanted your name now feel differently about you because of what they’ve read or heard?

It’s frustrating because people start making things up and people start thinking about me in a different way. That’s what I think. I can’t change something about this. For me it’s just more important that I keep playing like I do now. I just want to stay fit and turn things around. Obviously, the last games from my side hasn’t been the best and I know that as well. For me, it’s just most important that I keep showing to everyone that I always give 100 per cent to this club. I will always do as long as I play. For me, the most important is that we turn things around right now. If people say things, then people say things. Obviously people are going to believe things that are not true. There’s nothing I can do about that.

How much can you use the spirit of Bilbao to help save you in the Premier League and with Atletico?

Tomorrow it’s just a beautiful game. We have nothing to lose. We want to do something special. We’re going to give everything to change it around and of course we know it’s going to be difficult because we’re three points down. But we’re going to do everything to change things around. Tomorrow first and then afterwards it’s the Premier League games coming up. I think the guys showed some great character last weekend against Liverpool and we can build on that.

Set the scene on Sunday when you watched the game from home, the emotions as you sat there helpless?

You just watch it at home and you just see the guys fighting every second of the game. Even when we went behind 1-0, you just see the guys keep going, keep going … [we] created chances. You’re just sitting there on the sofa and just hoping that the guys score a goal because it’s what they deserved. What they showed …. the character they showed in the game was unbelievable and when Richie scores and it’s 1-1, it’s just happiness at home, screaming towards the TV … just happy for him and just happy for the team. And then afterwards, yeah, just happy for the guys. That’s what they deserved.

How hard is it for you?

It’s obviously difficult. When you’re not in a good flow with the team and then people start saying things about you, that’s never easy. But it’s also part of life, it’s something you have to deal with. I just try to not read a lot of things and just stay off my phone and spend time with my family and friends. When I’m back here I’m just trying to do everything to change things around and I think that’s most important but obviously it’s been a tough period.

With that slip against Atletico, was it your boots or the pitch?

I think you can’t do something about slipping. It just happened. I played with the same boots I always played with so it’s nothing to do with the boots. After the moment and after the game you start thinking ‘did I do something different to what I normally do?’ I was like ‘nah, it’s just a bit unlucky that it just happened in this moment’. You saw it with Toni as well with the first goal and I think a lot of us slipped as well in this game so it was not something where I was like ‘ahh this was something i could do (differently)’.

Think back to May, Spurs win Europa League, how have Tottenham got themselves in this situation where they are struggling to win at home and in a relegation battle. What has this season been like from your perspective?

Tough. Yeah, that’s the only word I have for it to be honest. If you see how we ended last season, that’s obviously a top thing and how you end up this season, it’s really tough for everyone at the club and this is not a position anyone wants to be in. It is just a thing that we need to change around everyone together. It has just been a tough season overall, but it’s not finished yet and we have some more games to come.