Tottenham star takes aim at former club for not giving him the playing time he ‘deserved’

One Tottenham Hotspur player has fired shots at his old club for failing to give him the chances he deserved while he was there.

Thomas Frank has rotated players in and out of his team since becoming the manager of Tottenham Hotspur. However, Joao Palhinha has remained an important player who continues to make the teamsheet each week.

The midfielder has started every one of the club’s Premier League matches, which is in striking contrast to last season when he was at Bayern Munich.

Palhinha spent much of his time in Germany on the bench. This affected his opportunities for his national team, resulting in him being an unused substitute during the Nations League final which Portugal won.

Joao Palhinha is being treated better at Tottenham than Bayern Munich

Although Palhinha is doing well now, he has had to work hard to bounce back after a tough season away from the Premier League. Despite signing a four-year contract at Bayern in a deal worth £47m, it became clear he would not be an important player in Vincent Kompany’s squad.

Palhinha told The Standard: “[Last season] was a difficult season for me. I was injured and was out for longer than I’d expected.

“After that, I didn’t get the chances I think I deserved [at Bayern], which also had an impact on my playing time with the national team.

“But these are phases. Our careers thrive on phases. Now, I’m going through a happy phase. A new club, a new project, in a league that’s not new to me and that I’m enjoying again.”

Palhinha will attempt to revive his Portugal career

Palhina played a role for Portugal in last month’s international break, following four competitive appearances for Tottenham. However, he came off the bench in both matches and is yet to make a start for his country since October last year in a goalless draw against Scotland.

The defensive midfielder has been playing a lot more than he did last season, so he will be hopeful of changing this when Portugal take on the Republic of Ireland and Hungary.

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