Destiny Udogie feels he is developing under Ange Postecoglou even the new-look role bestowed to him at Premier League high-flyers Tottenham Hotspur remains somewhat alien.
Ally McCoist could barely believe what he was seeing.
During Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-2 draw with Everton a couple of weeks ago, a player who was supposedly starting the game as a left-back found himself popping up in the centre of midfield and even in something of a ‘number ten’ role, TNT Sport pundit McCoist awe-struck watching Destiny Udogie drift around the pitch as if he was witnessing the very essence of the sport being transformed before his eyes.
Destiny Udogie a revelation at Tottenham Hotspur
Ange Postecoglou is certainly no stranger to thinking outside the box. And Udogie’s dual-position as both a full-back and a box-to-box midfielder typifies a Spurs side who have sparked plenty of tactical discussions in since the straight-talking Australian brought his free-form football to a team who tended to be about as flexible as a teak table under Antonio Conte.
Udogie, meanwhile, is combining Postecoglou’s teachings with the lessons he learned over in Italy, the home of ‘Catenaccio’. The result? One of the most exciting and most complete young full-backs in the game.
“(My progress) is very satisfying. It depends on the motivation one puts into it every day, you just have to stay focused and always give your best,” Udogie, who joined Spurs from Udinese for a bargain £21 million, tells Sport Week.
“Amongst the things I learned in Italy, and which are helping me here, is definitely the tactics. How to defend.”
‘It’s all new’
“I don’t know if it’s the perfect role for me,” the Azzurri international adds. “It’s all new. I’m not used to playing as a midfielder or as a ‘number 10’, but I often find myself there and I’m trying to settle in and help the team.
“I think the coach’s style helped me a lot. For me, it’s a new way of playing. However, the coach and the staff gave me a helping hand in fitting in. I am very grateful to them.”
Udogie was ruled out for Saturday’s clash with Wolves due to injury.
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