Midfielder sees similarities between Bony and Kane ahead of Super Sunday
Sunday 14 December 2014 12:01, UK
Gylfi Sigurdsson insists he has no regrets over his unsuccessful spell at Tottenham Hotspur and will not have a point to prove when he faces his former employers on Super Sunday.
The Iceland midfielder was Andre Villas-Boas’ first signing as Spurs head coach in 2012 when he joined for around £8.8million from Hoffenheim.
But Sigurdsson struggled to replicate the form he had shown in the Bundesliga - and in England with previous clubs Swansea and Reading - as he found himself in and out of the line-up at White Hart Lane.
After being largely restricted to substitute appearances or starts in the Europa League, he decided to call time on his spell at Spurs and return to Swansea in July, this time on a permanent deal.
“There comes a time in your career when you have to make big decisions and I made one in the summer and I don’t regret it,” he told Sky Sports.
“I didn’t play as much as I wanted to (at Spurs). I knew there was going to be a lot of competition for places, they had a massive squad and still do and I knew that when I was coming to join them. I was ready for that.
“As a player you want to play every game that you can and play as many minutes as you can. I had to make that decision in the summer and thankfully it has worked out.
“I won’t have a point to prove (on Sunday). It is about doing well for the team and making sure I play well throughout the season.”
With almost half of the season already gone, Sigurdsson has been one of the standout players for Swansea, shining in the number 10 role behind striker Wilfried Bony.
The Ivory Coast international is the leading scorer in the Premier League this calendar year with 19 goals to his name.
In contrast, Harry Kane is Spurs' only striker to score in the league this season, with Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor still yet to find the net. Sigurdsson, though, says he can see similarities between Kane and Bony.
I won’t have a point to prove. It is about doing well for the team and making sure I play well throughout the season.
"They are similar in the sense that they are players who can score goals from nothing," he said. "They have a wonderful finish. Bony is probably physically stronger than Kane but I think Harry Kane comes a little bit deeper to pick up the ball some times.
"He is very direct, strong in the air, a strong lad and has been doing very well for Spurs from the beginning of the season and I am sure he will have a good career.
"Bony has been doing it for a few years now in the Premier League and his record is second to none."
With Bony and Sigurdsson both on song, Spurs will have their work cut out to get anything at the Liberty Stadium.
The north London side have made a stuttering start to the season under new manager Mauricio Pochettino, winning only three of their eight home games in the league.
However, they have been better on the road - losing just twice - and Sigurdsson believes Pochettino will be given time to get it right by chairman Daniel Levy.
“There have been a lot of changes, few players have come in and a few players have left,” he said “There’s also a new manager so there are a lot of things going on in the club. I am sure the chairman will give Pochettino a longer time than the previous managers. The manager needs time and gets his way of football across to the players.
“I know the last six or seven haven’t had that long but I am sure it is going to happen at some time where there is going to have to be a bit of patience with the manager so he has the time to get his point across to the players and for things to settle down for the club and make sure they play the football the management want them to play.”
Sigurdsson’s two goals and eight assists have helped Swansea climb to eighth in the Premier League, a point ahead of Super Sunday opponents Spurs.
But the Icelander says the Swans, who have only won once away from home this season, are disappointed not to have even more points to their name.
“Things for me personally have been going really well this season but as a team we are probably a little disappointed with some of the games where we have dropped points,” he said.
“Of course we are happy with the start we have made but we feel we could be a little bit higher in the table and that is something we need to address and make sure going throughout December and January we go on a good run and pick up some points.”
