The Peninsula Times - Van de Ven insists it's 'nonsense' to say players don't care about Spurs' plight

Spurs are just a point above the bottom three and their season went from bad to worse with a 5-2 loss away to Atletico Madrid last week in the first leg of a last-16 tie in the Champions League.

Spurs did rally with a 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Sunday to provide fresh belief and Van de Ven, criticised for a red card against Crystal Palace earlier this month, has dismissed accusations some players have "checked out" in the battle to beat the top

"The only thing I can say is it's not true," he told reporters Tuesday on the eve of the second-leg tie with Atletico.

"It would be strange if a player was in the dressing room now and saying, 'I'm going to leave either way, or I don't focus about the situation because everything that's going to happen, it doesn't affect me', so I think it's just nonsense."

The 24-year-old added: "The other day when we read something about one guy that said to everyone that he's probably going to leave and doesn't care about the situation they're in, and then someone reads this and we're just like, how does this come out? People are just making things up.

"It's just frustrating for us as well because it brings so much more trouble as well, because the fans are starting to believe this.

"Trust me all the people involved on the pitch, the staff, the players, everyone, they care so much about the situation we're in right now.

"We just want to turn things around and that's the most important, that's the main focus for everyone.

"I just want to stay fit and turn things around. Obviously, the last games from my side hasn't been the best and I know that as well.

"It's just most important that I keep showing to everyone that I always give 100 percent to this club. I will always do as long as I play.

"For me, the most important is that we turn things around right now."

(N.Davids--TPT)