Tottenham academy graduate reveals he once cheated in pre-season fitness test

Jamie O’Hara has lifted the lid on a wild Tottenham pre-season moment that saw him cheat a gruelling fitness test after an indulgent summer, just to avoid being outpaced by the goalkeeper.

Tottenham Hotspur players have finally resumed pre-season training, as the Lilywhites gear up for what is expected to be a hectic season where they are set to compete in multiple competitions, including the Champions League.

Some players already appear sharp, particularly Mohammed Kudus, who only just signed from West Ham United last week and is already outpacing full-back Destiny Udogie in training drills.

For many within the squad, this pre-season period represents a chance to stake a claim in the plans of new head coach Thomas Frank, ahead of what promises to be a demanding campaign.

Jamie O’Hara admits he once cheated during Tottenham pre-season training

Former Tottenham man Jamie O’Hara has now shared a hilarious story of how he once cheated during pre-season training with Spurs, following a big summer.

Speaking on talkSPORT, the ex-midfielder painted a chaotic picture of his time under the sun, recalling how he attempted to mask his lack of fitness by hiding in a bush mid-run to avoid being shown up by a goalkeeper.

“I will remember I was at Spurs at the time, and I had done a pre-season, and I came back a little bit heavy. I was like, I could run, but I always carried a bit of weight. I remember we had done a run round- what is the park? I cannot remember the park.

“They had a big lake round it, Epping Forest country club or something. We are running round this Epping Forest, and I see there is a little – I knew the run came back on itself, you know, like you come back through the trees and then back on itself. So I hid in the bush. I have got to this point, about 4 or 5k in, I am absolutely breathing. I am miles off it. Think the goalkeeper is in front of me.

I used to hate it, because the keepers were busy, right? And they are a different breed, these keepers. Right? And we had a keeper come back, and he was fit – you know, like proper fit. And everyone knows, every baller knows, right? The keeper cannot beat you in pre-season.

“Right? The keeper beats you, you are getting released. Right? You are done. The gaffer is not having you. And the keeper came back, like sprinting – he is working, he is fit, he is ripped. I am like, mate, give it a rest. I have hid in the bush, and I just see, like, one of the big hitters come past.

“My mind – I am thinking, I cannot jump out now, because the gaffer is definitely going to know that I have cheated, because he is way fitter than me. So you just sneak in, in the middle of the pack. You, like, you just jump out, carry on like no one has seen you. You just carry on, and you see the keeper behind me. I am going, you mug.”

No room for cheating under Thomas Frank at Spurs

Of course, no Spurs player would be looking to cheat in pre-season like Jamie O’Hara did, even though he managed to get away with it back then.

Thomas Frank has already laid bare what his non-negotiables are as head coach, stating that he demands his players work hard and take risks, even if it does not always bring the desired result.

The Dane has also made it clear that he expects his players to be brave and to play attacking football, revealing that his key principles align with the club’s long-standing motto: To Dare Is To Do.

With five games lined up for Spurs this pre-season, before their first competitive match in the Super Cup, Frank and his Tottenham backroom staff will be hoping to have a squad that is both fit and ready to fire when the real tests begin.

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