Massimo Luongo Interview

Massimo Luongo is aiming to turn the coming season into a breakthrough campaign.

The 20-year-old is on a season's loan at League One Swindon Town where he hopes to impress Andre Villas-Boas, who will be keeping a watching brief as Spurs do on all their loaned out players.

Swindon will be playing the 'Tottenham way' and have a host of current and former Spurs players who will be comfortable with that, seven in all.

"It’s going to be playing out from the back and keeping the ball on the deck and we’re going to try and win promotion playing the game as it should be played," said Luongo.

"That’s the way the boss (caretaker coach Mark Cooper) has set us up and I’m hoping for a big season this year.

"This is a platform for me to either go back to Spurs and make the first team squad or attract the attention of another club and move on, maybe even a permanent move to Swindon. Who knows?

"Of course, I want to be playing at the top level but I also have time on my side.

"It’s going to be an interesting because the average age at Swindon is about 23. A lot of players have moved on from last season when we got to the play-off semi and there is a lack of experience there, so it may take time to gel.

"It’s good having the Tottenham boys here, they are really the spine of the team in terms of their positions and I think we will hopefully give the fans some good games to watch and some results also.

"The fans took to me last year but we’ll see how it is this year if results don't always go our way.

"The important thing for me is to get matches under my belt and make my mark. I haven’t caught the eye of AVB at Spurs as I would have liked, but maybe this is another way of doing it.

"You see at training the things he [Bale] does that set him apart, very few players can do what he does.

"He has power and pace and while players know what he’s going to do, it’s almost impossible to stop him. He is able to make the half yard or so and that’s where he hurts teams, either taking a shot at goal with that great left foot or sending a cross over.

"But the money being talked about is right up there, especially when you consider it’s even more than Madrid paid for Ronaldo.

"I’m not sure if Gareth’s at that level yet but when Real Madrid wants a player they seem to do what it takes to get him. I certainly think he’d thrive in Spain – he’d thrive anywhere.

"He played against us and scored a typical Bale goal in a pre-season friendly that finished 1-1 a couple of weeks ago."

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