Noel Whelan is against Tottenham bringing Christian Eriksen back to the club because of how he left.
The Dane left the Lilywhites about a year ago. In the lead up to his departure, his performances tailed off and his body language was also one of a man that didn’t want to play for them anymore.
They allowed him to join the Italian side Inter Milan, but his transfer has turned out to be a failed one, just a year in.
The club is now keen to offload him, and Tottenham is one of the teams that are interested in signing him.
Sky Sports reports that Eriksen would be happy to make a return to Tottenham and added that the Lilywhites are also ready to welcome him back.
However, Whelan says it makes no sense to bring back a player who wasn’t ready to give his best to the club before he left them.
“We just need to look at the cloud he left behind him and the way he played and what he gave Tottenham during the remaining time that he had there, which was nothing,” Whelan told Football Insider.
“He played at 60 per cent, because he didn’t want to get injured, he wasn’t the same player, he wanted out of the football club – he was a great servant and a fantastic player but you’ve got to look at the way he acted before he left.
“That is a danger to me. I wouldn’t be going anywhere near it, same as Arnautovic at West Ham – you can’t be having players like that, that didn’t put enough in while they were wearing the shirt because he wanted out of the football club.
“Now to me, if he comes back, he’s a very lucky boy, because he’s not been setting any fires while he’s been abroad. I wouldn’t touch him with a bargepole, no matter how good he is.
“I think when you leave, and you show your character and the person you are, it’s disrespectful to the club and to the players that you’re playing with.”
Too right, lazy Cnut can
Stay away. Those penalties he took in his last games said it all.
As regards money, yes he was probably short changed as most Spurs players were for a few years but he also refused a new contract and went on strike when we needed him.
So he can enjoy the triple salary in Italy, I don’t want him back. Plenty of better, younger players out there. He had his chances here.
My humble opinion for what it’s worth, he did act badly, sort of gave up playing and trying, but do we really 100% know the factors involved, and as is stated on here, he thought he should have been on more money. But that still doesn’t forgive him totally. On the flip side of the coin, we are on the cusp of achieving something this season i feel, and would he be a game changer?? the Erikson of 3 or 4 years ago may just be the extra quality needed in tight games, remember those last minute goals ! But, which Erikson would turn up….
Yes he made mistakes re the stadium but he got it done. You gonna hold that against him forever? For me a man’s wages is his business. So what if he has a overly posh office
You’d have to ask someone with more insight into the clubs’ finances that I have. But the exorbitant salary he pays himself while sitting in his overly posh office, after completely bungling the stadium build with insane cost over-runs point to it being a “yes” for me, Clive.
Noel is a time-waster, Christ knows what FI are paying him for.
Yup. And Lo Celso and Bergwijn are also factors in that equation.
Eriksen is 100% not wanted by Spurs and I would take any other supposedly interested parties with a huge pinch of salt.
Did levy hamstring the club for his own personal gain?
I do not see the point in bringing him back. Kane now takes up a lot of the space Eriksen operates in and Ndombele is our new playmaker now. Eriksen would be better off signing for Disney World FC in the MLS.
Totally agree, even though I DO begrudge him due to his poor attitude in his last few months with us.
Not entirely sure why anyone at all would care what Noel Whelan has to say, about Eriksen or anything else.
He wanted to leave? Of course he did, he’d seen Levy hamstring the clubs ambitions for years, while paying him half the wages he’d have been on at any other top side. Remember, his wages TRIPLED when he went to Inter. There is not an honest man among you who wouldn’t quit your job today for one that is 95% the same job but pays 3x more, located in a nicer climate with better food.
I don’t begrudge him anything. But I also don’t see any reason to bring him back. Not a “Jose player” imo, too timid and soft. We need warriors, Eriksen isn’t one – personality just doesn’t contain that edge. Mid table La Liga or Serie A side is the right fit for him, unless he just wants to pack in his ambitions and focus on making as much money as possible before retirement – in which case it’s off to China or some laughable middle eastern league in Qatar or Dubai or something.