Pascal Chimbonda has admitted his infamous transfer request at Wigan Athletic was a mistake – and thinks it cost him a dream move to Manchester United.
Chimbonda joined newly-promoted Premier League side Wigan for the 2005-06 season in a £500,000 move from French club Bastia, and was a huge success in his single season at the club, helping them reach the League Cup final, earning a place in the PFA Team of the Year, and being called up for the France squad at the 2006 World Cup.
However things ended on a sour note as, following the final game of the season – a 4-2 defeat to Arsenal – Chimbonda handed in a written transfer request in the dressing room while still wearing the Wigan kit.
The defender – whose form had seen him linked with several big clubs, including United – was heavily criticised for the stunt at the time, and the now 41-year-old admits he made a mistake, and feels that it could have cost him a move to Old Trafford.
Chimbonda told The Athletic : “That’s my biggest regret. That changed a lot of things.
“If I didn’t do what I did then maybe I would have joined Manchester United. But when I made this mistake, I threw my chance away. Man Utd didn’t want to sign someone who would do this.
“Wigan were so mad, they didn’t say anything to me. At the end of the game I gave a written letter to the manager in the dressing room, and he opened it in front of everyone. I wasn’t even showered yet.
“The chairman was there too and I thought ‘what have I done?’ What a stupid thing to do. We were supposed to meet on the Monday, but I was told the manager doesn’t want to see you. Just go on holiday. That’s my big regret. If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t do this.”
Chimbonda eventually moved to Tottenham in a £4.5 million move in the summer of 2006, and had a successful spell at White Hart Lane including winning the 2008 League Cup – Spurs’ most recent trophy.
He was signed by Martin Jol and regards the Dutch manager highly, but also recalls the stunning moment that Jol was sacked by Spurs midway through a UEFA Cup tie with Getafe in October 2007.
Chimbonda said: “We were all upset because he was close to all of us. After the game we said goodbye and couldn’t really believe it.
“He left in a really bad way. There was a lot of shock because the players were close to him. Some were crying. In the dressing room, he said he was going. It was really sad, really tough. Every time you asked him something he gave it to you. He trusted you. He was always very straightforward.
“He was the best manager I had at Tottenham. He was always there at training on the pitch, I like a manager like this. That’s how you see your players, you can’t just ask your assistant because if he doesn’t like one player he might be like, ‘Oh no don’t play him’.”
SOURCE:- allfootballapp
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