The coronavirus suspension has led to all sorts of interesting stories from cooped-up footballers.
Victor Wanyama is no different, and the current Montreal Impact star opened up to The Athletic on the challenges of the team sheet.
[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ]
In addition to speaking about training in his apartment complex — Wanyama said he ran stairs before getting exercise equipment — the ex-Spurs player admitted his fury at being left off the team sheet for the UEFA Chapions League Final versus Liverpool.
There’s also a fairly unique familial connection that made the loss even tougher. From The Athletic:
“I was really, really pissed off not to start that game. And even more pissed off because we didn’t win. I tried to encourage those who played.
“We went back to the hotel after the game. I couldn’t sleep at all. The situation was going around in my head. My brother (McDonald) Mariga was also on the bench in a Champions League final for Inter Milan against Bayern Munich (in 2010). He had to sit on the bench for the full game, so he could relate and understand what I was going through.”
The 52-times capped Kenyan also heaped praise on former boss Mauricio Pochettino, who managed him at both Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, so it’s not like the UCL Final was some sort of final straw.
He’s also one of many to wonder how good Saints could’ve been if the club was able to hang onto its many top players.
“Can you imagine a Southampton team with Virgil van Dijk, Gareth Bale, Sadio Mane, Luke Shaw, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Toby Alderweireld, Jose Fonte, Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana, Dusan Tadic and Rickie Lambert?”
It’s an engaging interview conducted by Andy Mitten, and Wanyama clearly has a personality and a half. He also spoke of his desire to return to Celtic at some point, and his thoughts on Pochettino’s Spurs exit. Check it out here.
