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Victor Wanyama

Discussion in 'Ex Players' started by Jayzhinho67, Oct 25, 2012.

Discuss Victor Wanyama in the Ex Players area at TalkCeltic.net.

  1. Valhalla Thus spoke Batistuta.

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    He was still phenomenal for Southampton and then Spurs for a season or two.


    Watching him for Spurs after his injuries was brutal. He could barely move and didn’t have the technique/skill to make up for it.
     
    eire4 likes this.
  2. eire4

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    Absolutely he did very well for Southampton and initially at Tottenham.
     
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  3. MickeyyMack CELTIC GLASGOW OK Gold Member

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  4. barry1916

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    Those were Halycon days. Forster. Izzy. Commons. Ledley. Hooper. Lustig. Kayal. Mulgrew. Brown. Stokes. Forrest. Samaras. Wanayama.

    To be fair to Lenny, he put together a fine team who were no pushovers.
     
  5. AdamRS Gold Member Gold Member

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    Bring him home
     
  6. Henrik 07 Gold Member Gold Member

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    Victor Wanyama insists he would love ‘one last go’ at playing for Celtic.

    The Kenyan powerhouse was a huge fans’ favourite during his two years at Parkhead.




    He famously scored in the 2-1 Champions League win over Barcelona and lifted two league titles.

    Poached for a bargain £900,000 from Belgian minnows Beerschot, the Hoops made a whopping £11.6million profit when he joined Southampton in 2013.

    Wanyama, though, claims he never pushed for an exit and would happily have stayed in Glasgow

    However, the midfielder accepts the club’s money men couldn’t afford to turn down a record £12.5m transfer fee.




    Reflecting on his emotional departure, he toldFootball Scotland: “It was difficult.




    “I personally wanted to be there but it was also a good investment for the club. It was a good business side.

    “The club had to benefit to make the business side move on. I understood that.

    “I loved the club and I was really happy to continue there. But the situation didn't allow it."

    Wanyama left a gaping hole in Celtic’s engine room but was a major success at St Mary’s before following Saints mentor Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham Hotspur in 2016.


    He instantly became a key man at White Hart Lane, although he was plagued by injuries towards the end of his time in London.

    That’s when Celtic came calling as Neil Lennontried to pull off a sensational loan move in January 2020.

    Wanyama was ready to sacrifice a huge chunk of his wages to make the deal happen, but Spurs wanted a permanent solution and refused to budge.

    However, the 30-year-old hasn’t given up hope of pulling on the famous green and white hoops one day.


    He explained: “I had a contract at Tottenham and they were very difficult to let me go, the demands were very hard.

    “Celtic was a club that I would love to play for again and again. It's more than a club. I enjoyed my time there.

    “I honestly want to come back and give it a last go because I love the club, the people there, the fans, just everything there was great. They give the players everything to go on the pitch and perform. Everything was just on top.

    “There was a loan approach but I don't know what happened. I didn't follow it up that much.




    I spoke to Neil as well and he said to me 'it's difficult with the demands' and at that time they didn't have the money to make it happen.

    “But it is what is is. As I say, I still love that club, it's in my heart.”

    Asked if he would have moved back, the Champions League finalist added: “Of course, it wasn't always about me. It was about club-to-club.

    “For me, I was ready to sacrifice that time. What happened, happened.




    Ex-Celtic boss Lennon was the man who brought Wanyama to Scotland, and for that, Big Vic will always be grateful.

    “I loved working under him”, Wanyama said. “He was a great manager. He assembled a very, very good team. It was just great to play under him.

    “At a club like Celtic, it was an unbelievable club. It's a club that is like a family. Everything around the club was just perfect. It's great.

    “When you are working under him and the club is also very professional. The fans are laughing and they are kind and always pushing the team. It was a great time to be playing for Celtic."




    Wanyama has been lucky enough to experience playing at the likes of Anfield, Old Trafford and the Nou Camp, but says nothing compares to the atmosphere at Celtic Park.

    He said: “Barcelona was one of the biggest nights. All the Champions League nights and the derby games against Rangers. The fans, they were on another level. Crazy, electric.

    “The atmosphere was just on fire. I've never seen something like that somewhere else. What I've experienced there, you can't have that anywhere.

    “You need to be at a place like Celtic Park to experience nights like that. That's my dream, to be one day back at Celtic Park.”




    Now plying his trade in the MLS with CF Montreal, Wanyama is back enjoying his football again after a difficult couple of years at Spurs.

    He still keeps tabs on Celtic’s results though, and has a Hoops supporters’ club on his doorstep in Canada.




    Wanyama said: “I do sometimes watch them and wish them all the best.

    “I've met a few of the Celtic fans here and they are all happy. They are still family. I got a message two days ago that there was some Montreal Celtic fan club.

    “They asked me to go and sign something for them, so I said 'ok I'm going to do it'.”
     
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2021
    neilly1987 and eire4 like this.
  7. Al Bootyerbaws

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    He had spaghetti. It was very nice. He enjoyed it.
     
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  8. Peej Gold Member Gold Member

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    Take him back in a heart beat. MLS season ends soon enough - January transfer for £2million would do nicely.
    1 year left on his deal there, younger than McCarthy and hasn't had an injury in 2 years - played 26 times for his MLS side.

    Would slot right in next to McGregor and allow McGregor to go box-to-box with Rogic providing support to Kyogo up top.

    Make it happen.
     
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  9. oh bhoy

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    I'm still * off he was sold
     
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  10. buchanbhoy

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    If he has dropped down to MLS Canada level is he better than anything we currently have ?
    On his day he was brilliant but is it the twilight of his career .
     
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  11. Peej Gold Member Gold Member

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    MLS is very much not the retirement home league we all once assumed it to be.
     
  12. Valhalla Thus spoke Batistuta.

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    Absolutely no chance.

    Anyone wanting him probably hasn’t watched him play in about 4 years.
     
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  13. buchanbhoy

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    Agreed but if he was at the top of his game he would be playing at a higher level .
     
  14. Doogs. Lustig your the one, you still turn me on.

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    No thanks.
     
  15. Slaw Gold Member Gold Member

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  16. FrankMcCallum Gold Member Gold Member

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    Don’t know what he’s like now but I maintain we’ve never really replaced him properly.
     
  17. eire4

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    Don't see it happening for him to ever come back but boy was he a player for us and gave us some great memories. Clearly he will always be a Celt.
     
  18. hiphopaddict

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    I cannae believe he's only 30. But I agree if he was still on top form he wouldnt be playing where he is.

    He was brilliant for us during his time here. But I get sick of folk like him angling for a move back cause they've ran out of better options. He wasnt so keen on a move back when he was raking in probably 100k a week with Spurs.

    Gary Hooper tried the same thing a couple of seasons ago. Im sorry but its a case of you might need us but now we dont need you. If you wanted to be at Celtic that much you've have signed a 5 year contract extension while you were here
     
  19. dmccourt95

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    He’s finished sadly, a player like him 10 years ago is what we’re crying out for
     
  20. HTG "I have an uncle who does Yoga"

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    The last thing we need in our midfield is another slow, lumbering player. I love Vic but no thanks.
     
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