Quotes from Jan Vertonghen

I have never fought in my life but I can be very angry, especially on the pitch.

I get along well with at least 10 guys at Tottenham, but if I were to leave tomorrow, I'd get a text and that's it. Just like at Ajax. It's mostly at school that you make friends.

Growing up in Belgium, I played football all of the time, in the garden, on the street.

It's difficult to gel players.

The interest of a great club like Barcelona is certainly flattering. That is confirmation that I am doing a good job.

I think Tottenham is in a very good place.

In more than 10 years, I've formed three real friendships. Mousa Dembele, for example. We've known each other since we were 12, our wives are from Amsterdam, he lives in London and we both have a kid.

I'm definitely not a rebel.

I don't want to regret anything in my career.

I think I enjoy life in England because there is a lot of respect amongst the people here. People are very nice to each other - they are respectful, particularly of traditions, which I like.

The most important thing when I joined Ajax was to combine it with school.

When I was six, I joined an amateur club called VK Tielrode in Belgium where I lived.

I think so many things look like a penalty in slow motion.

I think the way City spends, I would say it's a lot of money. But they spend it in a responsible way. They attract good players, young players and they cost a lot of money.

You want to win trophies.

It took me five years to get my first trophy with Ajax but it feels like you have to win a trophy to win more and then they follow. It's just the belief you can win it.

I am convinced that if you win one trophy, then the rest will follow.

When I won my first trophy, it was just a feeling of 'we want more.'

Of course you have Messi and Ronaldo. And then you've got a lot of players who are very close to each other and I think Gareth Bale is one of them, like at the level of the best teams in the world. He could play for every team in the world. For me he's a world class player.

Arsenal wanted me to be a controller in the midfield, an Emmanuel Petit-type.

The pace is unbelievable in the Premier League.

I want to play in Europe and learn another language. Spain and Italy are options.

I was always a shy little guy and people in Holland are famous for having big mouths! So you've got to have a big mouth to defend yourself.

I want to play in Europe, as the national team is important for me.