Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky gave an exclusive interview to the Livesport Daily podcast, the Czech version of the Flashscore brand, discussing his football journey, personal development and life and training in England.
Early experiences in Czech football and key choices
Kinsky said that he had played two matches for Pardubice, received a red card, then contracted mononucleosis and was out for three months.
Kinsky said: "It was during a period when I had played two matches for Pardubice, received a red card, then contracted mononucleosis and was out for three months."
He said he knew he had six months to get to his current level, and that when he had two options in front of him - going out for a beer in the evening or going to the gym and then training the next day - it was an easy decision for him.
Kinsky said: "I knew I had six months to get to the level I am at now. When I had two options in front of me - going out for a beer in the evening or going to the gym and then training the next day - it was an easy decision for me."
The importance of personal growth and learning
Kinsky said that sporting progress goes hand in hand with personal growth and that education and working on yourself away from the pitch play a big role.
Kinsky said: "Sporting progress goes hand in hand with personal growth. Education, working on yourself away from the pitch - those things play a big role, and I feel they are what ultimately produce the greatest rewards."
He said he started following successful people in fields including sport and business, watched what they did to become successful, listened to various speakers and read books by coaches, psychologists and entrepreneurs.
Contrasts between Czech football and England
Kinsky said the difference compared with the Czech Republic was absolutely everything, including the quality of the players, the league's viewing figures, the conditions at individual clubs and their financial resources.
Kinsky said: "The difference compared with the Czech Republic is absolutely everything. The quality of the players, the league's viewing figures, the conditions at the individual clubs, their financial resources... There are so many things."
He said that, as an 18-year-old in the Czech Republic, he would travel all over Prague to fit in training, the gym, recovery and everything else, whereas at Tottenham he arrived and it was all in one place.
Kinsky said: "The difference was that, as an 18-year-old in the Czech Republic, I would travel all over Prague to fit in training, the gym, recovery and everything else. At Tottenham, you arrive and it's all in one place."
Kinsky said that when he was younger height projections put him at around 190 centimetres, so he and his father trained in a way that suited the Spanish style more, built around speed, footwork, movement and agility, with his father guiding him even though he never had a Spanish coach. He said that a few times in training he had been told he was not a goalkeeper but a midfielder and that he liked and enjoyed that style because it suited him.
Career planning and memories of facing Spain
Kinsky said that when he was younger he used to write down his goals but never had England on the list as his first step abroad, and that Germany was on there because goalkeepers before him had gone there.
Kinsky said: "Paradoxically, when I was younger I used to write down my goals, but I never had England on the list as my first step abroad. Germany was on there because the goalkeepers before me had gone there."
He said he found out he would be starting against Spain three days before kick-off and that he was absolutely delighted.
Kinsky said: "I found out I would be starting three days before kick-off and I was absolutely delighted."
He said his team did not get the result in the match against Spain but was not far off.
