“You look at Spurs last season with a very young nucleus and a huge English core and you think yes, they are winning the League, But in the late stages of the season, they end up melting because they lack experienced heads in the team,” the former keeper said during the Capital FM morning show. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 13- Former England and Liverpool goalkeeper David James believes Victor Wanyama’s presence at the heart of the Tottenham Hotspur midfield can lift the North London club to the English Premier League title.
Wanyama has started in all of Spurs’ seven Premier League matches since joining from Southampton and his presence has already been felt, managing to stabilize the midfield as well as providing a huge defensive shield to the back four.
James, who played for eight clubs across England, says the Kenyan midfielder has brought in some vital experience that will compliment a young and success hungry Tottenham side.
“You look at Spurs last season with a very young nucleus and a huge English core and you think yes, they are winning the League, But in the late stages of the season, they end up melting because they lack experienced heads in the team,” the former keeper said during the Capital FM morning show.
“Now players like Wanyama with all their experience coming on, I think it will bring a lot of difference and Spurs can actually fight for it.”
Victor Wanyama celebrating after scoring the winner and his debut for Tottenham Hotspur against Crystal Palace.
The former England number one, who has been in the country for the past two days as an Emirates ambassador for the FA Cup, believes Kenya has the ability to produce more players to play in the English top division.
“The passion Kenyan people have for football is ridiculous. I look at a country which has close to 40 million people and sometimes I tend to think it is the opportunity that does not come their way. I believe Kenya can actually have a better representation in the Premier League with all that I’ve seen out here,” James opined.
The witty retired custodian was at the Capital FM studios on Thursday morning hosted by Capital in the Morning presenter Maqbul Mohammed, a die-hard Liverpool fan and Capital Sport anchor Joe Miano Muchiri, a fan of Arsenal Football Club.
James, who spent seven years at Liverpool, described the Merseyside club as the ‘biggest club in the world’ took time to exchange banter with Manchester United and Arsenal fans in the studio and was astounded with the huge number of Arsenal fans around.
“You guys have your own Wanyama playing for Spurs and doing very well and I know sometimes you Arsenal fans forget that you are supporting the wrong side of the divide,” James said with a hearty smile.
-‘Calamity James’-
Former England and Liverpool FC keeper David James with Capital FM morning presenter Maqbul Mohamed.PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu.
He also talked about the tough patch in his career which led him being labeled ‘Calamity James’ and described it as the toughest time of his career.
“You know you walk around the streets and people look at you like a failure. You go to the store to buy stuff and you are afraid at how people will look at you even though sometimes they don’t even know what you do.”
“But those are the times you need people around you who can keep you strong. It is part of life, sometimes you can’t really avoid it,” the custodian added.
At the same time, James has tipped Manchester City, a club he played for between 2004 and 2006 to win this season’s Premier League title, while also tipping Liverpool and Arsenal to make a challenge.
“I am not saying Man City just because it’s Pep (Guardiola). Over the last four, five years they have had one of the best squads in the division. I believe with Pep they can go on and create something better than all other managers have done in the past,” the former keeper, now turned pundit opined.
On Liverpool; “If you look at what Jurgen (Klopp) did with Liverpool last season and see how they have started this season then you think all is in place. He has good players in the squad and I think he tells them this is the time to win the League.”
