How have you found your first week or two at the club?
Very good. I know it can be difficult to move club after being at one club for a certain period but the transition has been quite easy. Everyone made me feel welcome. It’s been easy to transition. Something like this, a preseason tour can be beneficial in terms of talking to each other, learning about each other. That’s what I’ve tried to get to do with teammates and staff. And it’s been very easy.
What sold Spurs to you?
Every person comes to a point in life when you have to make decisions, certain things happen that will sway you one way or another. I don’t want to give out details of the conversations, but I’m an ambitious guy. Always have been. I’m hungry to do well. I’m driven from within and that’s something the manager shares. When you have a decision to make about where my next path would lead the first chat with the manager was brilliant and told me stuff I was almost thinking, and it made it very easy mate.
Gareth Southgate once said he sees you as a forward player, we saw you in a midfield three against West Ham, where's your best position?
Gareth has said I can play in that forward line as well. I don’t think means I am a forward. I’ll play anywhere. Over the years at Leicester I’ve probably played in six different positions. Anywhere in the front line or the midfield line, at some point I’ve played in all of them. I played as an eight the other day in a 4-3-3. If that’s what the manager wants me to do that’s what I’ll do.
If he wants me to play on the left wing that’s what I’ll do. if he wants me to play right back that’s what I’ll do. (Postecoglou shakes his head) I’m hoping he doesn’t but I’ll work if he does. I’ll play wherever but my strengths are between the lines and I hope that’s going to be enough to get me in the team.
READ MORE: Inside the mind of Ange Postecoglou - Flat tyres with Ferenc Puskas, rejection and making a mark
We saw you playing golf with Harry Kane with the kangaroos on the course in Perth, presumably you want to keep playing with him on the pitch?
I’m not going to go into details on Harry’s situation. People speak about that enough and it’s out of my hands, really, but from my point of view I would love to be able to play with him, he’s a world class centre forward, the best number nine in the world, a brilliant role model and an uber professional guy. Whatever happens happens.
What are your ambitions at Spurs?
I’m here to win. I know a lot of people talk a lot about how long it’s been since Tottenham won a trophy. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe we could win. I know from the manager and the quality of the other players in the squad that we have what it takes to win. That mentality, wanting to win, trying to win. That’s what I saw so far so I’m definitely here to win.
Can it help your England ambitions?
On the international stuff, I always say, and I got asked about it a lot at Leicester when I was out of the squad for a bit, I can only take care of what I do. I used to say I could only control what I do at Leicester and that's the same now I’m at Tottenham. I can control my performances and how hard I work in training and in games and then the rest will take care of itself.
I’ve been in the England squad recently and I want that to continue, of course. Representing your country, I always say, is the pinnacle. That’s what we all strive for, representing your country at a major tournament, that’s the pinnacle. But how do I do that? I do that through working hard and playing well for Tottenham. That’s the basic, that’s the foundation, and that mindset won’t change.
You've tasted a major tournament - does that fuel you?
Definitely yeah. That was a frustrating period, being injured for the first couple of weeks of the tournament. Obviously makes it harder to get in the manager’s plans when they’re playing so well.
But that period in Qatar was something that will live with me forever. The experiences gained. And sometimes in life you need setbacks - they keep you hungry, keep you motivated. Just being there and seeing what it was like back home through the team and being part of that team is something that will live with me forever.
How are you feeling about playing Leicester?
It’s a special game. Leicester is a club with a special place in my heart. I spent five brilliant years there and so I’ll be playing against some familiar faces who have been team-mates for a long time. So I’m looking forward to it, really eager to get the game going. But listen, we're all professionals. It’s pre-season and we’re all working really hard and want to win so once we get on the pitch it will be no different.
Have you seen Jamie Vardy yet?
Not yet. I know Leicester are training here so hopefully I’ll catch him for a brief minute or so. He’s a brilliant player and I’m sure I’ll see him after the game or whatever and I’ll give him a handshake and a cuddle.
You know a lot of these Spurs players, but which player has surprised you since you joined?
Good question. The level has been very high to be honest. The quality of the squad. I’ve played against these players for many years but when you’re training with them and see them in the detailed tactical stuff - even in the passing and shooting drills you really get to see your team-mates. And the quality has been very high, I’ve been very impressed and long may that continue and hopefully we’ll have a good season.
Against West Ham it looked like the early seeds of a partnership with Yves Bissouma being formed, could that be an important relationship this season?
Yeah if we’re playing together. Bissouma’s a very very good player. I played against him when he was at Brighton and he probably didn't play as much as he’d like to have done last season. But there's a top player in there, and maybe that would have been a good answer for the last question, he’s surprised me a little bit. He’s a leader, he talks.
For someone who’s only been at the club for a year and didn’t maybe have the best first season as he would have hoped. He’s very demanding and very vocal, and there’s a brilliant player in there so I’m looking forward to seeing how that partnership can go.
Can this Spurs move take you to the next level in your game?
I hope so, yeah. I’ll just keep doing what I do best and what’s got me into this position. Those are the morals I’ve had since I was a bot and nothing will change the way I play and the hunger I have for the game. And if that takes me to another level then brilliant, but I’ll just continue to keep doing what I do.
Could you get the number 10 shirt?
I just mentioned Harry and don’t really want to talk on that. Not sure what I should and shouldn’t say in response to that question.
Why is your shooting so good?
Lots of practice. Practice, practice, practice. I know it’s a cliché to say but what I would say to all young kids playing football is practice, be relentless, keep practising constantly and be obsessed with it.