Tottenham star Djed Spence has left Neil Warnock red-faced after laughable 2020 comments
Djed Spence has enjoyed an emphatic start to the season at Tottenham under the stewardship of Thomas Frank.
Spence recently signed a new Tottenham deal that will keep him at the North London club until 2029.
While the full-back has come in for his fair share of criticism over the years, his new contract highlights the progress he has made at Hotspur Way.
Indeed, his former manager, Neil Warnock, should feel embarrassed after what he said about Spence in 2020.
Djed Spence has already impressed under Thomas Frank at Tottenham
Spence has often been the fall guy at Spurs, but things are changing in North London.
Tottenham signed the left-back from Middlesbrough in 2022 for an initial £12.5million, but his move was far from seamless.
Antonio Conte labelled the defender a ‘club signing’, with Spence speaking publicly about how the Italians comments shattered his confidence.
A host of loan moves followed, with the former Boro man shipped out across Europe to Stade Rennais, Leeds United, and Genoa.
- Spence made just six Spurs appearances before the 2024/25 season
- Made three consecutive loan moves
- Has since made 38 appearances for Tottenham
There has always been a feeling among Tottenham supporters that there is a player in there, and he is now showing that in spades.
Last season, the full-back made 25 Premier League appearances under Ange Postecoglou, and he has now impressed in the early days of Frank’s tenure.
Read more: Djed Spence sends hilarious message to Mohammed Kudus after what happened in Tottenham training
What Neil Warnock said about Djed Spence
In 2020, Spence was playing under the fiery Warnock for Middlesbrough, but came under scrutiny from his boss.
The defender had been linked with a move to Newcastle United, and Boro supporters would be the first to say his performances were underwhelming.
“There’s not many players where you can say it’s all up to themselves, personally, how far they go, but that’s the case with him,” Warnock told the Northern Echo in 2020.
“It’s about what’s between his ears. He could go anywhere in the next five years – he could be playing for one of the top clubs in England or he could be playing in non-league. I don’t know.”
While Warnock’s comments may sound extreme to Spurs supporters, there is no denying that his former manager recognised his talent.
Of course, there have been doubts over whether Spence can be a hit at Tottenham, but he is silencing his doubters in spades.
With the Englishman set to grace the Champions League, he has proven Warnock wrong in spectacular fashion.
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