Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Rafael van der Vaart annoyed at Europa League exclusion
Tottenham Hotspur playmaker Rafael van der Vaart revealed he had not been consulted by the club before being left out of the UEFA Europa League squad. The 28-year-old Holland international was sidelined with a hamstring injury during the 5-1 defeat to Manchester
City before the international break because of which the Spurs manager Harry Redknapp did not think to include him the squad for the Europa League.
The injury was initially thought to be long term and the Tottenham Hotspur medical team announced that Van der Vaart would be out for at least six weeks. However, the former Real Madrid attacking midfielder has recovered sooner than expected and voiced his
annoyance at not being consulted with the club over the decision to omit him from the squad for the group stages of the second tier European competition.
Van der Vaart wrote on his personal website:
“I still think it's a peculiar situation.
Spurs could at least have consulted me. Anyway it's up to the point of no return. I will be focusing on the game against Liverpool.”
It was only after Van der Vaart travelled to Holland to consult with specialist d**k can Toorn that it was discovered that Van der Vaart was fit to return to the squad. However, Redknapp had already decided on the squad and had left out the http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Netherlands-c753 international,
knowing that he was out with a long-term injury. The Spurs boss said he had decided to include players who were fully fit rather than wait on Van der Vaart.
Redknapp said in an interview:
“The first diagnosis on Rafa's hamstring was that he would be out for six weeks - at least.
Six weeks down the line, he misses the first four games, and we only have six games, so we thought there was not much point putting him in.
We might as well put in some of the other lads who can play.”
Tottenham Hotspur will face Greek side PAOK Salonika in their first fixture of the Europa League group stages after making it past the play-offs. If they manage to make it past the group stages, the London side will then be permitted to add three more players
to their existing squad. Redknapp said he was planning to bring in Van der Vaart once Tottenham had made it through to the next round.
He said:
“We thought we'd leave him out and if we get through the group he can come in then.”
Redknapp insisted Van der Vaart was a key player for the team and said he was looking forward to his contribution in the English Premier League. Tottenham Hotspur will host http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 over the weekend at White Hart Lane, a fixture Van der Vaart is expected
to participate in. As for consulting the player, Redknapp said he did not feel it had been necessary.
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