“He has quite career ahead of him” - Cerny on reuniting with his former protege Kinsky

Our former goalkeeper Radek Cerny has high hopes for his former protege Antonin Kinsky.

Radek, who spent over three years with us between 2005 and 2008 after joining from Tuesday’s Champions League opponents Slavia Prague, knows Antonin well having helped develop him in his role as the Czech side’s goalkeeping coach, a role Radek has held for nearly a decade now.

Initially joining Slavia in 2021, our young Czech ‘keeper made his senior debut of Slavia soon after before spending two years picking up experience on loan, first at MFK Vyškov and then Pardubice. Then, last year he finally got his break in the first team in Prague, making 29 appearances across the domestic league, Champions League and Europa League.

Then, in January of this year, he became a Lilywhite, following in the footsteps of his compatriot and former mentor Radek, who enjoyed a three-and-a-half-year loan spell at the Club, making 28 appearances..

Within three days of signing for the Club, Toni was starting our Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at home to Liverpool and he starred on debut, keeping a clean sheet and showing incredible composure and skill with the ball at his feet.

Antonin went on to make 10 appearances in the final five months of the 2024/25 season and has since made two starts in the Carabao Cup this term.

The pair will get a chance to reunite this week as we welcome Radek's Slavia to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Matchday 6 of our UEFA Champions League League Phase campaign.

"Everyone associated with Slavia Prague is very excited about the prospect of this match. The new stadium is fantastic, and we can’t wait to go there with Slavia," he said. "Of course, on a personal level, it’ll be a special game for me, going back to my former club and seeing old faces."

"And of course, I will see Antonin, who I worked with at Slavia and who made the same move as me, from Slavia to Spurs."

Ahead of their reunion, Radek was full of praise for our number 31, "He is a young goalkeeper, but one with lots of energy to do well and the ambition to get better and better."

He also applauded the 22-year-old's convictions, stating, "He is a top professional who works really hard, and he has gone to Spurs very much looking to play. He has quite a career ahead of him."