Gylfi Sigurdsson: 'Leaving Tottenham Hotspur was tough'

By Joe Sharratt, Reporter | 04 October 2014

Gylfi Sigurdsson says that he left Tottenham Hotspur to secure regular first-team football, but admits that leaving White Hart Lane was a "tough decision".

Swansea City midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson has revealed that leaving Tottenham Hotspur to rejoin the Welsh side was a "tough decision", but one he made in order to secure first-team football.

The 25-year-old Iceland international started just 11 games for Spurs last season.

"It was a tough decision to leave because Tottenham are a big club, I really enjoyed playing for them, especially in the London derbies and games like that," Sigurdsson told The Guardian.

"But once you finish your career, you don't want to be looking back and thinking, 'Maybe I spent too much time there sitting on the bench and not playing.'

"Of course a little bit of frustration. I think every professional player wants to play every game and every minute because you never know when you're going to get a chance to score, in the first minute or the 90th."

Sigurdsson also revealed his frustration at being played out of position under Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood.

"I also probably played too much on the left for my liking – I'm not that kind of player who is going to get the ball and run past the full-back," he added.

"Of course if it happens, you've got to do a job for the team, and no problem. But I feel better – and think you get more out of me – playing me through the middle."

Sigurdson has played six games, scoring one goal, since returning to Swansea City over the summer.