Bentaleb: I know it's bad to miss COC semi-final but I have a duty to represent Algeria

[mawspurs]

Nabil Bentaleb regrets missing out on Tottenham Hotspur’s League Cup semi-final but insists he has a duty to represent Algeria in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Read the full article at Daily Mail

 

[teok]

It's ok mate.

 

[KingNothing]

Thankfully we have Dembele and Paulinho who can step in.

 

[yankspurs]

So you're telling me that we're gonna have to keep Capoue and/or Paulinho in January for numbers since Bentaleb will be gone for 2 months? Fucks sake.

 

[chinaman]

Hope his sense of belonging and gratitude means he'll stick with us for a long time.

 

[Kalim]

Like the bit about being like a child wanting to learn and being willing to continually fight for his place.
He looks like he's got his head screwed on the right way round.

 

[UncleBuck]

Fair play to the lad, doesn't need to justify picking country over club, it's quite refreshing to hear

 

[chinaman]

Like the bit about being like a child wanting to learn and being willing to continually fight for his place.
He looks like he's got his head screwed on the right way round.

Last season he said something like he took advice from his grandmother about working hard at his football. In today's world, if a teenager who is a professional sportsman listens to his grandma, you know he has his feet firmly on the ground and his head screwed on in the right manner.

 

[UncleBuck]

Especially if you have issues with dual nationality, must be so confusing for a lad to know what on earth to do...

 

[greaves]

Last season he said something like he took advice from his grandmother about working hard at his football. In today's world, if a teenager who is a professional sportsman listens to his grandma, you know he has his feet firmly on the ground and his head screwed on in the right manner.

Fair point. Though if your grandmother's Myra Hindley, I'm not sure where we go from there...

 

[Kiedis]

Fair play to him. Just a bit annoying that they have to have the tournament every other year instead of every four years.

 

[Geyzer Soze]

Hope his sense of belonging and gratitude means he'll stick with us for a long time.

I'd say his sense of 'gratitude & belonging' as you put it could be a little underdeveloped since he's actually French born with only Algerian heritage

 

[greaves]

Some people miss COC more than others...

 

[Mullers]

First duty is to the club, the club is the bread and butter which earns a player the chance to be an international.

 

[Kendall]

First duty is to the club, the club is the bread and butter which earns a player the chance to be an international.

I'm kind of on the fence with this. This is a major tournament for them and thus you would expect anyone that represents those Countries to be free to play. Plus when clubs buy players, they know full well what the risk is and that this could be an issue every couple of years.

That said, with Bentaleb it's different. He played his junior international football for France and only chose to represent Algeria after we gave him a professional contract, so it's very much an unplanned inconvenience.

He's become a key player for us and someone who, at the moment, I wouldn't trust anyone else to adequately replace, especially with Wembley on the horizon.

 

[chinaman]

Can there be an arrangement for him to fly back and play a crucial game for us if Algeria doesn't have a game?

 

[JohannTHFC]

So you're telling me that we're gonna have to keep Capoue and/or Paulinho in January for numbers since Bentaleb will be gone for 2 months? Fucks sake.

Perfect chance for Winks or some of the other academy prospects to get into the team.

 

[Mullers]

I'm kind of on the fence with this. This is a major tournament for them and thus you would expect anyone that represents those Countries to be free to play. Plus when clubs buy players, they know full well what the risk is and that this could be an issue every couple of years.

That said, with Bentaleb it's different. He played his junior international football for France and only chose to represent Algeria after we gave him a professional contract, so it's very much an unplanned inconvenience.

He's become a key player for us and someone who, at the moment, I wouldn't trust anyone else to adequately replace, especially with Wembley on the horizon.

Aye, tis a big problem, Dembele is shit, Stambouli tries but is very average, Capoue off form an on his way out. We don't really want to be buying yet another defensive type midfielder, so we just have to make do. Stick the youngster in there Velcrovich. ( Can't be bothered to check the spelling)

 

[onthetwo]

Some people miss COC more than others...

seriously brilliant post....lmfao

 

[onthetwo]

Aye, tis a big problem, Dembele is shit, Stambouli tries but is very average, Capoue off form an on his way out. We don't really want to be buying yet another defensive type midfielder, so we just have to make do. Stick the youngster in there Velcrovich. ( Can't be bothered to check the spelling)

spelling police gonna be after you