Tottenham need to keep Serge Aurier quiet for a bit
It’s very possible that Serge Aurier is poised to become the next star for Tottenham on the pitch. Spurs do need the controversial fullback to keep his mouth shut for a while though. He needs to let his play do his talking for the next few months.
Like it or not, many Spurs fans (myself included) were very concerned when rumours popped up that he’d be signed as Kyle Walker’s replacement. He’s certainly a talented player, but his history of poor choices off the field of play don’t exactly demonstrate the maturity I’d like to see in a Spurs player.
Ultimately, like most Tottenham supporters, I have been seduced by his footballing abilities. Kieran Trippier certainly doesn’t look like the answer for the club at right back and, by all reports, Aurier is at least equal in talent to Walker. After watching Trippier cost the club three points in the last two matches, I’m anxious to see what Aurier can do.
Unfortunately, the Ivory Coast international decided to remind me why I was skeptical about him in the first place this week. He gave a wide-ranging interview to the press where he explained his decision to leave PSG. Aurier claims the club placed too much emphasis on his legal problems and furthermore, didn’t “respect his true worth” during his time in Paris.
More from Tottenham Hotspur
- Bayern Munich reach agreement for Harry Kane
- Antonio Conte goes scorched earth on Tottenham
- Clement Lenglet set to join Tottenham on loan
- Tottenham set to sign Brazilian Richarlison
- Tottenham Hotspur hold off Arsenal for Champions League spot
Whether or not those assertions are true is immaterial. Given the controversy that surrounds him as he arrives in England, Aurier should be doing his best to stay out of the papers. He has to understand that his behaviour is going to be examined very closely for the foreseeable future. His reputation is going to bring intense scrutiny to everything he does.
It doesn’t take a ton of maturity to understand that reality. The smart reaction would be to speak to the press as little as possible until things cool down. At worst, Aurier should be keeping his answers as simple and bland as possible. There’s no upside to him making controversial statements at this point in his career.
Once he arrives in North London I’d expect Pochettino to hammer that point home. He’ll keep Aurier so busy with football he won’t have a moment to reflect on his time at PSG. Aurier certainly won’t be given many opportunities to speak to the press without club officials supervising the affair.
Next: Erik Lamela's demise has been greatly exaggerated
The truth is that Aurier needs to keep his mind focused on football and his mouth shut for as long as possible. Each day that passes without him making news for anything other than his on-field contributions will drastically increase his chances for success with Tottenham.