Kieran Trippier has levelled criticism at Tottenham Hotspur for delaying surgery on an injury that left him struggling for months.
The England international left Spurs last summer to join Atletico Madrid after he admitted that the second half of his final season in North London was a “car crash” and the club had got rid of him at the wrong time (Football365).
The 29-year-old struggled with form last season and lost his place in Mauricio Pochettino’s starting eleven.
Trippier claims that he asked Spurs to go under the knife to rectify groin and pelvic problems last season only to reveal that his request was turned down due to timing.
The right-back has admitted that he disagreed with Tottenham’s decision blamed them for forcing him to miss a number of matches for Atletico Madrid.
He underwent surgery during Spain’s winter break which saw him miss the first leg of the Champions League clash against Liverpool.
He told the Sunday Mirror: “I certainly feel I am a better player than I was last season at Tottenham. Last season was a difficult moment because I was struggling with injuries.
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“It is not an excuse because I was not hiding about it.
“But I struggled for months with my groin and pelvis and I eventually had surgery just after the winter break in Spain in January.
“Because of the timing of the break and the operation I was only out for a few weeks and now I feel so much better.
“I should have had it last season at Spurs but people didn’t want me to have it then. I had so many issues with the last season there and about the way I performed and struggled with injuries.
“It got to a point where I had to have surgery this season and really I should have had it done last season. But there were so many important games… I don’t really want to go into it.”
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