Nabil Bentaleb admits Tottenham mistakes and regrets | OneFootball

Nabil Bentaleb admits he would do things differently if he had his time at Tottenham again.

The Schalke midfielder started his career with the north London club but, having played regularly during Mauricio Pochettino’s first season at the age of just 20, soon fell down the pecking order after a spell on the sidelines.

Admitting the frustration of losing his place led to arguments with the Spurs coach, Bentaleb believes he would have acted differently had he not been so young at the time.

“I got injured and when I came back, I wanted to play so bad that I had some arguments [with Pochettino],” he told the Independent.

“I was a little bit frustrated, and I was learning basically. Being on the bench is a learning curve.

“I know I made mistakes. But they helped me learn, as a man. And they don’t stop me from sleeping at night. And if I was 24 right now, and I had been at Tottenham, I don’t think I would make the same mistakes.”

The 24-year-old Algeria international admits he wishes he was still at Tottenham and insists he will always be grateful to the club for giving him a chance.

“I would be a hypocrite to say that I would not like to be there, and I am not a hypocrite. But this is football.

“England gave me the chance,” he added. “Where I am from, in France, no-one gave that to me. So I am forever grateful to Tottenham, the whole club, the administration. They gave me an opportunity to make my dream, to realise my dream.

“I grew up from 16 in England, and I left at 20. I spent a lot of time there, made lots of friends. I love that country, I love the football over there.”