Oliver Skipp makes everything a learning experience - even when things are not going his way - and this season has been another instructional one so far for the young Tottenham midfielder.
After making a great start to Spurs' last campaign, following on from a Championship-winning loan at Norwich, Skipp established himself as a regular under first Nuno Espirito Santo and then Antonio Conte at just 21-years-old. However, timing has not been the England U21 international's greatest ally as a problematic pelvic injury, first suffered in October 2021, grew more and more painful until he had to stop and get treatment for it in January.
In that same month Tottenham signed three-time Serie A winner Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus and the Uruguayan starred alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as Skipp remained out and eventually required surgery towards the end of the campaign. During that time the youngster made the most of his spell on the sidelines by sitting in on every one of Conte's tactical meetings, absorbing everything he needed to know for when he returned.
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Skipp was ready to make up for lost time last summer when a freak training ground injury in pre-season left him out for weeks with a hairline fracture in his foot and a deep cut in his heel that had team-mates turning away aghast when the impact happened. The now 22-year-old midfielder is finally back and fully fit but has the formidable presence of the constantly improving Bentancur and Hojbjerg ahead of him, along with summer signing Yves Bissouma.
"I think the level of the club, of all the clubs in the Premier League, is increasing all the time. We're in the Champions League this year, we've got internationals in every position - internationals that haven't played much either - so the quality is there and we know that as a squad we have talent all over the pitch. As a club, we're always looking to improve as well, so that keeps everyone on their toes," Skipp said in an interview with the club's most recent matchday programme.
"It is a strong squad that we've got and you have to work hard. I don't want to use all the boring clichés but it's true, you just have to train well and do everything that you can when you get those opportunities to play. When people are playing well, you're always pushing, but you know that you've got to be at your top level to get into the team."
Those 'people' are Bentancur and Hojbjerg and Skipp admits he has been studying the dup closely to add to his learning in the past year.
"To be fair, those two especially have been brilliant this season," he continued. "I think in the last month or so they've even gone on another level again, so I'm watching and learning from them, trying to take bits from their games and seeing what they're doing well at the moment.
"They're getting more goals and assists this season which they've added to their game, so they've been fantastic for us and credit to them. I think all the midfield group, with Yves and the young lads as well, Harvey White and Pape Matar Sarr, we're all pushing each other."
Skipp has now made nine appearances this season since returning from injury and he hopes that is the end of the freak issues that have dogged his past 12 months.
"It was hard for me this year because you always want to be playing and I was out for such a long period of time, until the end of the season, then obviously I had the second setback in pre-season, although I wasn't out for too long with that, but it was frustrating," he said.
"I felt like I was in a good moment before it happened as well, but these things occur in football and you'll be very lucky if you go through your whole career without it.
"It was a tough one with the fact that there was no real set time period for me to be out. It wasn't like I was told I would be out for any exact amount of months, so that was the hardest thing that I couldn't quite get my head around, in terms of when I was going to be back, but thankfully my family, friends and everyone at the club just tried to keep me positive and knowing that there'd be moments in the future when I'd be back doing what I do best. Ultimately, it’s in the past now, I'm over it and I'm just looking forward to the next few months."
Spurs won 4-3 in a dramatic match against Leeds United on Saturday afternoon to leave themselves fourth in the Premier League going into the World Cup break and in the last 16 of the Champions League.
“I think we've had spells in the season where we've played well and not got the results and then maybe spells where we haven't played so well, but then got results," said Skipp. "To get through in the Champions League was a big goal of ours at the start of the season as well so it’s positive that we've achieved that, especially the way we did it - it felt extra-special."
Skipp is highly regarded within the game as one of England's next crop of talented young midfielders and he has become a senior figure in the centre of the pitch for the country's U21s. He will now take on the role of football fan though for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar as he cheers on his team-mates amid training sessions at Hotspur Way.
"We'll be training during the tournament, but I'll try to watch as many games as possible. It's nice to watch from a fan's point of view, because I don't get a chance to see games as a fan much now," he said. "That's the thing with the World Cup, you do get to watch it more as a fan and hopefully the boys can do well for England and all the nations we have representatives in.
"For example, Ben Davies with Wales, I guess I'd feel a little more attachment to them because you see players from your own team involved, but obviously when they play England, I want England to win!
"It's nice to watch it from an outside point of view and I'm sure it will be a great tournament. I've never been to watch a World Cup in person, but it’s something that I'd like to do at some point. Obviously to go as a player, that’s the ultimate dream. I think every player would tell you that!"
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