Ho values “time, belief, and consistency” at Spurs following long-term deal

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Martin Ho spoke to the media ahead of his side's away fixture against Arsenal this weekend in the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL).

Saturday’s derby is expected to be a big one, as Arsenal head into the match in fine form, winning four of their last five games. Spurs are also looking to improve on harsh results against Everton and Manchester City but remain optimistic.

Players Olivia Holdt and Matilda Vinberg recently signed new contract extensions yesterday, tying their futures to the club, with Ho also extending his stay with the Lilywhites. Three extensions in three days speaks volumes, a testimony to the new trajectory of the club under Ho and his coaching staff.

Ho’s new contract, security and future at Spurs

Speaking on the day of his long-term contract extension with Spurs, Ho believes this gives him a security and time to build something long-term at Tottenham Hotspur:

“Gives more security going forward, part of the plan to build something here and also gives us a real opportunity to make sure we can achieve our ambitions moving forward.”

On envisioning himself signing a new contract six or seven months before joining the club in July 2025:

“No, definitely not. It happened at my previous club; you don’t want to envision that; you just want to put your head down and do the work.

If that follows, then it’s nice to keep working and put yourself in a position where you can do that when it’s time to renew.

No, I didn’t envision it. Obviously, it was a nice feeling when I spoke with the team, and they wanted to extend the contract. It shows a lot of belief and faith, and I’m very grateful for that.”

On Spurs’ ambitions:

“What we want to do is build season by season, bringing in the right player profiles with real belief and desire for the team. The club is in a good position in terms of leadership and direction. We know what it takes,  it just takes time, belief, and consistency. It’s like a sleeping giant.”

Philosophy: Growth, Control & Not Looking Back

On breaking the managerial trend of a strong first season at Spurs, followed by a drop-off:

“I’m not focused on the past. That’s a different environment and a different culture, a different way of working for me.

One thing we can control is our performance, our environment, the way we operate, and our growth as a team. The way we recruit and train and making sure our full process as a club continues to evolve, not focusing too much on previous seasons, stats, facts and data.

They’re in the past for a reason. We focus on what we can control going forward.”

Player Development & Contracts

On Holdt and Vinberg extending their contracts:

“It’s really important. Olivia and Matilda are wonderful talents, a lot more to come. Maybe they haven’t shown everything yet.

They’ve had setbacks with injuries and illness throughout the season, but Olivia is really starting to show the type of player she is; consistency in her game and impact in our game model. Matilda is starting to build form; she scored a couple of goals, got an assist on the weekend, and parts of her game are starting to show.”

Having players with strong potential committing their future to Spurs is pivotal in Ho’s long-term vision in charge:

“For different players it takes time, probably extra for some, but two wonderful players and two players we feel have a lot more potential. I’m excited to work with both of them.”

Returning Players (Asian Cup)

Maika Hamano and Tõko Koga return to the matchday squad this weekend after a period away with Japan, winning the AFC Asian Cup. Ho praised them upon their return and believes they will contribute heavily to Spurs’ success this weekend:

“Yes, they’ve been really good. Both of them are back, trained with the squad and are in good spirits. When you come off the back of winning a tournament and a final, that brings belief, confidence and motivation, but also a winning mentality. We want to use that energy and enthusiasm on the weekend.”

On Koga and her potential, Ho had nothing but praise:

“Someone who lights up. A young player with calmness, a relaxed aura, and she’s definitely settled into the team now, in and out of possession.

She gives you intelligence. We’ve got wonderful players in those positions, and when you lose a player like that, you naturally miss them. Now she’s back, we need to use her qualities and also the mentality she showed during the Asian Cup.”

Ho also provided an update on Clare Hunt (injured while on international duty with the Matildas):

“She plays a vital role in what we do, her personality, leadership, and presence around the group. She leads by example, especially with younger players. It’s disappointing when anyone gets injured, but we focus on the players we have and put them in positions to perform.”

Team Progress & Performance Trajectory

Elaborating on recent progress despite defeats, Ho spoke honestly and reflected upon the points to improve on, alongside the positive aspects to take from their performances:

“Yeah, definitely. We’ve shown progress moving forward. Look where we are now compared to last season, we’ve taken big steps, grown mentality and character.

I take responsibility for performances that haven’t been great, but I acknowledge the work the players and staff are doing. We’re in a good spot as a team, performing at a good level. We need consistency and to keep improving.”

He also previewed tough fixtures ahead following this difficult losing streak:

“Every game is tough. Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, it doesn’t matter. One game doesn’t define your season. We need to keep performing and finding consistency. Against Manchester City in the second half, we showed what we could do; we were dominant in spells. If we find that level more consistently, we can compete against anyone.”

On the defeat against Manchester City:

“Definitely, when you look at the second half, we had moments. The stats don’t lie; we were miles ahead in parts.

To go away from home and outshoot the opposition like that shows we created chances, but we didn’t convert them. You can’t give teams 45 minutes of free football and expect to come away with a result.”

On attacking & exploiting opponents:

“Yes, there are areas we can target with individual players and movements in attacking zones.

But we need to apply ourselves, match intensity, and get into the right areas. If we are brave with the ball and dynamic, we can cause problems. We’ve shown that against top teams already.”

On form, confidence & identity:

“Form matters in terms of confidence and team dynamics. In these games, it’s about earning the right to compete. You need to show you’re ready from the first moment. There will be times we suffer without the ball, and we have to be ready for that.”

The North London Derby & Arsenal

The occasion of the North London Derby at the Emirates poses a strong challenge for Ho’s Spurs side:

“We know it’s going to be a tough game. These games always are. There’s spice, a different edge. “We need to apply ourselves correctly, show respect, and if we do that at a level acceptable for a Spurs team, then we give ourselves a chance within the game.”

On Arsenal’s form:

“They’ve had a good run, a good group of players and a good manager. It’s going to be a tough game.  We need to show willingness to compete, passion, wear the badge with pride, and apply ourselves correctly to give ourselves a chance.”

On Arsenal’s winning streak and competitiveness:

“They’ve won a lot of games, confidence is high, and they’re strong in all areas of the pitch. There’s no illusion, it will be difficult. We’ll have moments without the ball, but with the ball we need to express ourselves properly.”

Regarding the importance of winning individual duels and maintaining match intensity, this is vital for Spurs:

“The individual duels are a big part of the game. You need to be competitive, show belief, desire and passion. There are moments that decide games, not just individual battles, but key areas of the pitch.”

Ho was also asked whether this game is a benchmark for either team:

“It’s both. We use these games as benchmarks, but they don’t define you as a team. If you look at Arsenal’s trajectory and ours, it’s different. But we need to be competitive when we play them, make the games entertaining, and be honest about where we are.”

Squad Decisions (Ella Morris)

A positive update was provided on defender Ella Morris, currently out with an ACL injury, as she is set to return to the matchday squad very soon:

“After today, I’ll make a decision on the squad for the game against Arsenal. Everyone is still available for selection, so she is in contention to be in the team.”

Tottenham take on Arsenal this Saturday in their away fixture at the Emirates Stadium (17:30 KO BST).