Never actually making an appearance under Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, for all his faults, won’t be forgotten at White Hart Lane, having spent nine years with the London side.
Signing in 2006, the former Cameroon international left Tottenham in February 2015, released from his contract by Pochettino, who didn’t see him as part of his plans.
Missing a ‘group meeting’ last Sunday morning ahead of their game against Nice, Assou-Ekotto has been sanctioned by the French club, told to train apart until next Monday, according to L’Equipe, meaning he is also expected to be in the stands for Metz’s clash against Montpellier on Saturday.
Assou-Ekotto has never been one to do things like everyone else.
You’ll probably remember his outburst back in 2011 when he was still contracted to Tottenham, telling everyone he was just ‘playing football for the money’, rather than for his love for the sport.
Let’s not forget the time he revealed he bought his boots on eBay, refusing to get sponsored as he saw it as a form of ‘prostitution’.
Despite not playing for Pochettino during their brief time together at White Hart Lane, the left-back made 205 appearances in a Spurs shirt, picking up four goals and ten assists along the way.
That’s more appearances than Christian Eriksen, Mousa Dembélé or even Hugo Lloris.
Kyle Walker is the only remaining Tottenham player with more, having made 213 appearances since his arrival from Sheffield in 2009.
