Sigurdsson: This proves I was right to choose Spurs over Liverpool

By Ben Pearce, Tottenham correspondent Friday, March 8, 2013
11:52 AM

Gyfli Sigurdsson says Tottenham’s dominant European triumph over Inter Milan proves that he made the right decision in choosing Spurs over Liverpool.

Sigurdsson seemed set to follow Brendan Rodgers from Swansea to Anfield in the summer, but Tottenham made their move and the Iceland international opted for a switch to White Hart Lane.

The 23-year-old has endured a difficult first season with the Lilywhites but now looks set for an extended run in the team after impressive performances against West Ham, Arsenal and Inter. And, as he prepares to face Liverpool on Sunday, Sigurdsson is confident he is at the right club.

“It will be really good to play against Brendan Rogers again, and also Joe Allen, who was with me at Swansea,” he said.

“How hard was it to turn Liverpool down? It was more that I knew Brendan, other than the history Liverpool have. But when Tottenham came in, the way they were last year and in the previous two years... They finished fourth last year and they were unlucky not to get Champions League football, and you could see from this game [against Inter] that this is a great club with fantastic players. I’m really pleased I made that choice.

“Hopefully it’s the right decision. It could have been the other way round – we could have been eighth [at this point] and they could have been third or fourth - but I’m really happy with the decision I made. This is a club that has got so many good players, and hopefully we can be in the Champions League next season.”

Sigurdsson managed just two goals in his first 33 games for the Lilywhites, and he looked set to suffer from increased competition when Lewis Holtby arrived in January.

However, the substitute appearance at West Ham on February 25 changed his fortunes as he bundled home his first Premier League goal for Spurs.

Sigurdsson said after that game that he immediately felt “10 stone lighter”, and he went on to create Gareth Bale’s opener in Sunday’s north London derby before getting another goal and an assist in last night’s 3-0 triumph over Inter.

“I think it was my best performance for Spurs [against Inter],” he said. “It’s been good to get two starts in a row and these are the games you want to play in.

“It was really important to get that first league goal, it gave me a bit of a lift, and now I’ve got my second European goal.

“It’s important for every player to get a run in the team. You see Gareth now, he’s got a lot of confidence and he’s scoring in every game.

“I know he’s got an unbelievable amount of talent but it’s different when you’ve got confidence - you can do those things that you wouldn’t do without it. It’s really important.

“The team’s confident too, it’s been like that for a few games. We’re playing really well, winning games and you could see the way we started the game – Inter are a top Italian team and we created a lot of chances and dominated the game.

“Scoring first gave us a lift and it went from there, building on the confidence from the last game against Arsenal. We looked for that fourth goal but it just wasn’t to be.

“It’s not job done, we have to make sure we get one or two away goals to make it really hard for them.

“We know they’re really tough to beat at the San Siro. It’s only half-time and we have to make sure we’re ready for that when we come to that game.”

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