Tottenham Hotspur's interim manager Ryan Mason said he feels honoured to be leading the club whilst they scramble to secure a new permanent boss.
In his second stint in temporary charge, the former player at the club has struggled to gain points, but has tried to implement a more attacking style of football which The Lilywhites have been largely without since the departure of Mauricio Pochettino.
Managing in a tough backdrop, with dissent towards the ownership of the club at its peak and several managers turning down the job, Mason called on everyone at the club to pull in the same direction.
The 31-year-old answered questions on the team news ahead of their final game of the season against Leeds, what Spurs can learn from their last outing against Brentford, his tenure in charge and the future at the club.
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On the teams news
Mason confirmed that Cristian Romero would not be fit for the final game of the season, but he had better news on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg who missed Spurs' last game.
He also said that Eric Dier, who had surgery on a groin injury earlier in the week, is aiming to be back for the start of pre-season.
"Cristian [Romero] no, he's got an injury and he's out.
"Hojbjerg trained yesterday so we're hopeful that maybe he can help us at the weekend.
"I think the hope and expectation is that will be the case [Dier being fit for pre-season] and I guess that's why the operation has taken place so quickly.
"I'm not too sure [how hampered Dier was by his groin problem], but ultimately it was an injury that needed to be sorted and operated on.
"I'm sure after this operation he'll come back stronger and better than before."
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On what Spurs can learn from Brentford tie ahead of facing Leeds
Tottenham started well against The Bees, dominating the tie and even finding a way to help Harry Kane curl in a stunning strike from a free kick, a rarity for the number 10 despite his impressive goal scoring record.
By the 62nd minute however, all of their hard work had been undone by Bryan Mbeumo's brace, and Yoane Wissa rubbed salt into the wounds with a late third in a 1-3 loss for The Lilywhites.
Mason said his side will need to avoid lapses in concentration and deliver a more consistent performance against a Leeds side who are in need of a win to have any chance of Premier League survival on Sunday.
"After the Brentford game I was proud of the players, from the perspective of the shift they put in from a mental point of view.
"The regains [of possession] higher up the pitch, the aggression of our defensive line, how we played with the ball and the fluidity of the team was really good.
"But, when you switch off in the Premier League, it's tough and you get punished.
"We probably need to be clinical when our chances come, because the game last weekend I thought the first half was probably as good as we've been this season in terms of with the ball and chances created.
"I really enjoyed watching us, so it's really important that we take those chances when they do come, but also we need to have an understanding that oppositions are going to have their moments, and in those moments you need to stick together, make blocks, saves and get through it as a team.
"Ultimately, that's what cost us last weekend, yes it wasn't a great second half, but their two key moments they took, they were clinical, and it changed the flow of the game, so that's something we need to be fully aware of.
"It's going to be intense, you know you have to enjoy that, it's a big game for them and us and we need to use it to our advantage as much as possible.
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On the last few months at Spurs
Mason took charge of the side after Tottenham were humiliated 6-1 against Newcastle at St James Park, and it has been tough for him to turn the tide results wise ever since.
Coming back from 3-0 down in the last minute to still find a way to lose at Anfield was described by Gary Neville as 'the most Tottenham thing that you will ever see' in commentary, and failing to secure a single win on the road since arriving all proves how tough the task has been.
Mason said that it had been tough to instil a more high pressing and high possession approach in the team so late in the campaign.
He also said the changes in style at the club over the last few years had contributed to Spurs' inability to adapt to a more front-foot approach.
"[Missing out on European football] is not where the club wants to be, we definitely want to be competing in any European competition, it's important for a club of this size.
"At the same time, I think regardless of whether we're in Europe, the most important thing is there's a plan, an idea and there's commitment from everyone going forward.
"The results before he [Antonio Conte] left weren't amazing, so I don't think the results have dipped a huge amount.
"You could feel in the weeks leading up to him leaving that there was uncertainty and it's never great to have that.
"I think we've been in that situation in the last eight weeks where there's a lot of uncertainty.
"I think that's why one of my main things when I came in with my team was to create a togetherness and make us feel part of something towards the end of the season to then hopefully lay some foundations to build where we want and expect this football club to look and play in the future.
"I don't care about how many years of experience you've had, to try and change so much in such a short space of time is difficult, I think it's a lot easier for argument's sake to go from a back four to a back five than the other way around.
"I'll be honest, that's what I believe in, and I have to stay true to myself, especially now we have a lot of injuries, and we're quite limited with who we can pick, that's probably influenced some of our decisions as well.
"There's been times in games in the last few weeks and months where we've just not been good enough and it's cost us results."
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On the managerial search
It has been yet another tough spell for the North Londoners, who have been without a permanent manager for two months since Conte's sacking.
In 2021, Tottenham had similar luck with prospective managers and were down to what many perceived to be their 10th choice when Nuno Espirito Santo signed a deal to take his place in the dugout.
News broke from the BBC earlier in the week that Feyenoord boss Arne Slot rejected Tottenham to sign a new deal with the Dutch side, leaving questions over how desirable the Spurs job is to managers.
When asked whether he felt the club was still an attractive one to manage, Mason replied 'absolutely, yes'.
He later expanded on why the Tottenham job is such a special one in his eyes.
"Its history, it's Tottenham Hotspur, it's a big club, not just for managers and coaches, but for staff members and players.
"Anyone here should feel the privilege and the honour to represent this badge.
"I think it's important that this club's in Europe, but the most important thing is the direction and the commitment for the club, because we've seen a lot in recent years that you can be up there one minute and down the next.
"To be a successful football club on the pitch, I think everyone needs to be on board with what we are and who we are, and I think when you have an idea of that, when people leave, it becomes a lot easier to pick people and plan for these sorts of things."