Tottenham Hotspur fullback, Djed Spence, has discussed the difficulties he faced during Antonio Conte’s managerial tenure at the club.
Spence, who transferred from Middlesbrough in July 2022 following a standout loan spell at Nottingham Forest, found himself marginalized under Conte’s leadership.
Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Spence revealed that his confidence plummeted during this period.
He expressed frustration, noting that despite arriving at Tottenham with high spirits after achieving promotion, he quickly encountered obstacles that dampened his enthusiasm.
Spence described the experience as akin to “running into a brick wall,” which significantly affected his self-assurance.
The young defender highlighted the lack of communication with Conte, stating that he “probably had one conversation with him.”
“It wasn’t a nice feeling. Especially as I was coming to the club on a high, I was confident, I was buzzing, had just won promotion.
“Then it was like running into a brick wall. It shattered my confidence a bit, obviously I’m young. It’s not nice to hear.
“I knew it was rubbish at the time. It wasn’t a nice feeling. I was even going into the club like (puffs out cheeks) and, ‘What am I doing?’
“I think I’ve been a victim of being too humble. Thinking things are just going to happen by not doing nothing and not saying nothing. But sometimes you have to express yourself.
“In my first year at Tottenham, I feel I gave a bit too much respect to the players and the surroundings, because it’s Tottenham. I came from Forest, I’m going to the Premier League, a top-six club, and I thought, ‘Phew, this is big’.
