‘I will never criticise another team’s style like Jurgen Klopp did with Tottenham’
Tottenham interim head coach Ryan Mason has claimed he would never criticise the style of a team like Jurgen Klopp did after last weekend’s defeat at Liverpool.
Spurs lost 4-3 in a wild encounter at Anfield with Diogo Jota scoring a stoppage-time winner after the visitors had fought back from trailing by three goals.
Mason bemoaned the fact Jota was still on the pitch following his head-high tackle on Oliver Skipp, which resulted in Klopp telling the 31-year-old to “worry about other things” before he questioned the counter-attacking tactics of Tottenham.
When Spurs’ caretaker boss faced the media ahead of Saturday’s visit of Crystal Palace, he made his feelings clear on the German.
“First of all I respect and admire Jurgen Klopp. I also respect Liverpool Football Club,” Mason said.
“But honestly in my current situation now and regardless of what happens in my coaching career, I don’t believe I will ever be in a position where I can sit here and criticise another football club in the way they are doing things.
“Look, I will not create a war of words. That is my opinion on it. I don’t think it will change in 20 years time.
“I don’t think I will ever be in that position or earn the right to criticise another football club for how they want to try and win the game and how they feel is the best chance for them to win the game in that moment in time.”
Skipp’s involvement in the dramatic loss ended after his clash with Jota but Mason confirmed he will be in contention for the fixture with Palace having been “very lucky” not to suffer a serious injury at Anfield.
Mason added: “He is a very, very lucky boy. He had a couple of gashes in his head, needed near to 10 stitches and we are talking about a couple of inches away from an eye problem.
“I think the overall feeling this week is we are quite grateful Skippy is okay and nothing too serious.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris and Ryan Sessegnon have both been ruled out of the club’s final four fixtures with thigh and hamstring injuries respectively.
Away from the first team, it has been a good week for the academy after Spurs’ Under-18s won the Premier League Cup with a 3-1 victory at Aston Villa on Thursday night.
“Absolutely I have seen a lot of them this season,” Mason revealed.
“We have hope for many of them but at 16 and 17, it can be a long road and it can be difficult. Sometimes people develop earlier than others and sometimes players seize the moment.
“Hopefully some of them can make the step up in the coming years.”
