Vertonghen targets cup success

Jan Vertonghen believes success in the Capital One Cup this season can instil a belief in Tottenham’s players that can see them go on and add further silverware in the coming years.

Vertonghen targets cup success

Jan Vertonghen believes success in the Capital One Cup this season can instil a belief in Tottenham’s players that can see them go on and add further silverware in the coming years.

Spurs advanced to a quarter-final tie at home to Newcastle after overcoming a valiant Brighton side 2-0 on Wednesday evening and they are now targeting a first trophy since winning the same competition in 2008.

The club have also started their Europa League campaign in fine fettle but have struggled for consistent league form under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino, with last Sunday’s 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle leaving them down in 11th place.

But Vertonghen, who was the only survivor from the starting line-up against the Magpies to retain his place for the cup tie, thinks all competitions will seem more within their reach if Spurs can go all the way and lift the Capital One Cup at Wembley in March.

“100 per cent,” he said when asked if League Cup success would breed a winning mentality.

“It gives a bit of belief that we can do big things with the team and I think it would help us. We have got a lot of good players.

“Sometimes you just need a click and I hope we find it now – hopefully in the Capital One Cup. We are in the quarter-final now and hopefully we can force something.

“You have Chelsea, Liverpool, us, Southampton and Newcastle so we play one of the Premier League teams now and hopefully we can go through. Chelsea and Liverpool both have away games but obviously we have to look at ourselves.

“We wanted a home game, Newcastle is a strong opponent but everyone is happy and we can get back at them for last weekend.”

Vertonghen moved to White Hart Lane in 2012 after a successful spell with Ajax - although he had to wait three years to collect his first winners’ medal at the Amsterdam Arena.

“At Ajax the problem was after six or seven years you lose a bit of the belief of winning trophies,” said the Belgium international.

“The first one there for me was the FA Cup of Holland and I think we won a couple of leagues in a row and then you start believing in yourself that you are able to do it.”

Meanwhile, experienced defender Aaron Hughes is hoping a credible display by the Seagulls can galvanise their league form as Sami Hyypia’s side look for their first Sky Bet Championship victory since August when they travel to in-form Bournemouth on Saturday.

“We always knew it was going to be a tough game but we just wanted to come here and make sure we put in a good solid performance, and knew if we did that we gave ourselves a better chance of maybe getting something from the game,” he told www.seagulls.co.uk.

“As it turned out it didn’t go for us but when we look back we can be pleased with the performance we put in. Hopefully that gives us confidence to go into the rest of the league games from now up until Christmas.

“It is going to be a busy time and probably a time where we have a good opportunity to put some points on the board if we can get a run going. We put in a good shift so on the whole that should give us confidence.”

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