Brennan Johnson Matisse Tel PK Controversy? I wanted to cheer for you rather than argue
Apr 10, 2025
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Tottenham will play the first leg of the Europa League (UEL) quarterfinals against Eintracht Frankfurt of Germany at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on the afternoon of the 10th (local time). An official press conference was held a day before the match. Brennan Johnson appeared as a representative of the players.
The penalty kick situation was controversial during the 31st round of the Premier League home game against Southampton on the 6th. Tottenham were leading 2-1 at the time. Johnson had scored two goals. Just before the end of the second half, Johnson himself won a penalty. Son Heung-min, Tottenham's penalty kicker, and James Madison, the dedicated free kicker, were both replaced. Therefore, everyone thought Johnson would kick. But 19-year-old loanee Matisse Tell took the ball. And I put the car in myself. There was a controversy. This is because Johnson, who won the penalty kick, could complete the hat trick if he kicked it himself.
Johnson responded to the situation, `But once the decision was made, I didn't want to argue or argue. I've seen a player fail because he was interrupted when he tried not to give someone a penalty""When the ball went to Matisse, I just wanted to cheer him out of the box" he said in a grand way.
◇ Q&A with Brennan Johnson
-Now that you've scored 16 goals, do you feel proud of yourself?
▶Yes, I'm really proud of you. At the start of the season, my goal was to score more goals than last season. I've made a lot of effort to develop it in areas such as location selection and finishing type. 16 goals is a really satisfying number.
-Nottingham Forest is having a great season after leaving themselves, do you just laugh 'as expected'?
▶(laughs) No. Of course, I'm glad Nottingham Forest are having a great season, but I'm really glad I'm here right now. I enjoyed every moment. The size of this club, the people in the club, the fans. Everything I dreamed of when I was young became a reality. I'm really happy.
-Do you feel underestimated after scoring so many goals?
▶Not at all. In my team, the coach and the coaching staff always acknowledge me, and that's all for me. My colleagues, coaching staff, and directors all make me feel precious. My team's style fits me really well, and everyone at the club is really supportive of what I've achieved this season. I feel really good in here myself.
-You seem to have a habit of appearing in the back post often and scoring points?
▶There are many fast players on our team, so the cross often goes over for a long time, and then the ball goes over to the other side and takes its place by predicting where I should be. That prediction was right this season.
There was a lot of work on the training ground, and a lot of coaches were with me. I really appreciate that. Of course, there's an instinctive part, and it's a way of playing that I've always wanted to play.
-Prior to the injury, he steadily increased his attacking points, but he slowed down for a while before scoring two goals against Southampton. Was it the process of regaining sharpness?**?
▶I think so. The injury lasted longer than expected, and it's not always easy to get back into form as soon as you return. He scored against Ipswich, but after that the game was very tight. I tried to restore my sharpness as much as possible, and when I'm in good condition, it's when I feel fast, full of energy, and light. There was that part, and I think there was a time when the performance itself was a little lower than before.
-I think he wanted to kick it during Sunday's penalty kick. Still, he didn't complain to Tel as a kicker.
▶Any striker wants to kick if he gets a chance to score from 12 yards. But once the decision was made, I didn't want to argue or argue. I've seen a player fail because he was interrupted when he tried not to give someone a penalty before. When the ball went to Matisse, I just wanted to support him from outside the box. He's an excellent player, and I didn't doubt his ability. From the moment the ball was in his hands, I believed he would put it in.
-What did this tournament mean at a time when there were a lot of injuries in winter?
▶It was really big. The period was really hard, and there were a lot of injuries. In the European competition, the players really poured everything into it in that situation. At some point, there were only 10 or 11 first-team players. I was really proud to see the players who fought to the end and produced good results even in such a situation. In particular, they achieved good results on the European expedition. Seeing that, I was motivated to go further in this competition.
-Do you really want to win this tournament for coach Angie Postecoglou?
▶I want to win for all of us. The players, the coach, and the backroom staff have all gone through difficult times this season. Of course, we made such a situation by mistake, and it's true that we didn't do well enough in some games. I think it would be incredibly cool to win this tournament, but I just want to focus on Thursday's game for now.
-The coach said about the penalty situation "turn gold into poop", did you talk about it separately after the game?
▶No, I didn't talk about it after the game.
-Do you agree with the director? In the end, it was about the spirit of victory.
▶Yes, I agree. From now on, it will be important who is most confident and who is showing the best performance in penalty kick situations. I think it's right for the most prepared person to kick at that point that day. This tournament is not a 'goal gift' event, it is a must-goal event. When you get a chance to widen your lead or tie, you have to score a goal. I totally agree with you, director.
-My scoring ability has increased dramatically since I quit my SNS activities, but am I still not doing it now?
▶Actually, I don't usually do SNS that often. I have an account, but I don't go in or see it often. Personally, it was a decision about where I wanted to spend my time outside of training, rather than because of my soccer skills or performance in the game. I wanted to focus on the time I spend with my family or close people, so I put it down for a while. I think it was just a coincidence that the score was scored after that. Some people might think 'If you don't social media, you score goals well', but it was just the right timing.
-Craig Bellamy said he watched Raheem Sterling's video on Monday night's football show, talking about himself. How has that affected this season?
▶Yes, I really enjoy playing for the Welsh national team. Our team is in a good flow now, and there are players who play in the Premier League. The staff and the director are also really great. They recommend me to watch a video.
Some of the staff members have worked with Raheem Sterling before, so they gave me a lot of advice based on that experience. I listened with my ears perked up. I think Sterling is a player with a tremendous career, but I don't think he got enough respect. I scored a lot of goals in the Premier League, and I want to be that kind of player.
-I think we've got more one-touch goals this season, right?
▶Yes, my teammates gave me passes in a good position, so there were many situations where I could score without touching the ball as much. Thanks to good assists, I was able to score such a goal, and I really appreciate it.
-Can you elaborate on what areas your coaches have focused on this season?
▶For example, the first goal of the weekend game. Dominic Solanke runs into the front post, and I'm in the opposite position waiting for the cutback with my left foot. At that time, I was advised not to kick too hard, but to make light and accurate contact with the speed of the ball. Another thing was that he advised the goalkeeper to bounce the ball to the ground to make it hard for him. These little tips help the game. It's hard to remember everything during the game, but if you practice it over and over again, you'll get used to it.
-There were a lot of people who criticized Tottenham this season. Arsenal fans even sang, `Do you play Tottenham costume?' Do you think you want to put those people to sleep?
▶Honestly, I'm not interested in that kind of comment. I just want to win for our players and staff. Criticism and boos have long ceased to pay attention.
I feel a really strong bond with all the players, staff and coaches in our squad. We were all criticized at different points, but that's how much we can understand and empathize with each other. It's also for this community in the end that we want to do well in these tournaments. I don't think there's anything better than sharing joy together because they've endured difficult times together.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
