Guglielmo Vicario’s dream is to become a Tottenham legend – by ending the club’s painful 16 years without silverware.
Not since the League Cup final victory in 2008 have the North Londoners and their long-suffering supporters experienced the joy of lifting a trophy.
Hence, live-wire Italian keeper Vicario would love nothing more than to help bring that desperate drought to a conclusion – and etch his name into the N17 history books…forever.
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Ahead of today’s trip to Newcastle, the former-Empoli man outlined the main aims of the new campaign for Ange Postecoglou’s troops..
And while cracking the Premier League top four, or even higher, is one obvious priority, he insists to be part of a Spurs side that actually won something would be career-defining.
Vicario explained: “The target is to try to be a team until the 25th of May. And try to build a big team until the 25th of May.
(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
“Of course, we are athletes and we want to win. We are born to try to win things and to be remembered by our fans because we know, if we do it at Tottenham, we will be remembered for life – for eternity.
“It would be one of the biggest things that could happen in your career – in your life.
“Maybe, one day you come back to the stadium, walk into the tunnel, into the corridor and see some pictures of you and say: ‘Ok, 40 years ago I did this!’
“If it’s me in the pictures, it’d be very nice.”
Vicario’s desperation to achieve glory is clear – whether performing on the pitch or talking off pitch. He now has an unofficial role looking after the youngsters in the squad.
However, he admits his public blasting of new teenage signing Lucas Bergvall in the closing stages of Spurs’ 1-1 draw at Leicester two weeks ago was over the top.
A repentant Vicario, 27, said: “I was too aggressive with him. I apologised. Maybe at that moment it was because we’d dominated a game for 70 mins and then conceded.
“I had a feeling in the last five minutes we could lose the game. Maybe it’s to understand where the game’s leading us or not.
“But it was not the right way, screaming to him. But he understands. He’s a good guy.
“It’s part of football. We are men. I suffered this too when younger.
(Image: PA)
“We are good friends and speak about sometimes having feelings of the game, the environment, when you, maybe, play away games and everybody is more excited.
“It was the first game back in the Premier League, the fans were pushing us. My action at that moment was not the best but the message came from the right place.”
St James Park is certain to provide an electric atmosphere this afternoon as both clubs look to build upon decent starts
Last season Spurs were thrashed 4-0 away to Eddie Howe’s men nd Vicario added: “We’re playing in a tough place, against a very good team but, of course, we have very good players.
“Now I think we are a different team.”
Guglielmo Vicario was speaking at a goalkeeping masterclass session for 8-13 years old run by Tottenham Hotspur’s Global Football Development programme at Richard Hale School, Hertfordshire.