Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper, Heurelho Gomes, made some interesting comments regarding Spurs when he recently spoke to ESPN Brazil.  The now 34-year-old shot-stopper claimed that the London-based club are to blame for recent players not making a smooth transition into the Premier League.

Gomes mentions players such as Paulinho, Robert Soldado, and Erik Lamela and suggests that Tottenham have not done enough to aid the players after arriving to England.  The goalkeeper stated, “It’s the club (who are to blame).  Certainly, I would not recommend anyone (to join Spurs).  It’s not just buy and expect results, they have to help in adaptation.“

”(Spurs) paid £28 million for Soldado and they don’t play him.  Or look at Lamela, who was a great prospect in Europe, but today you watch Tottenham games and he looks like he cannot play football at all.”

The Brazilian went on to say that he and former Spurs manager, Harry Redknapp, did not have the greatest relationship.  Gomes claimed, ”If it was another coach, my career would have continued at Tottenham.  If it were another club, they would have let me follow my life elsewhere.  It was disrespectful to my career.”

“I had proposed Hoffenheim, but (Spurs) demanded £5 million to release me.  I never gave any trouble and so I decided to wait until the end of my contract.”  Gomes was subsequently loaned to the German club in January of 2013 and then released by Spurs following the 2013/14 season.

Gomes spent nearly six years with Spurs, making over 100 appearances for the Premier League outfit.  He was brought in from PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2008 for a fee of around £8 million.

Following a string of disappointing performances while at Spurs, the north London club bought American goalkeeper, Brad Friedel, in 2011 to provide some stability between the posts.  Friedel went on to start every Premier League match during the 2011/12 campaign.

After leaving Spurs, Gomes signed a contract with Championship side Watford.  The former Brazilian international featured in 44 out of the club’s 46 league matches during this season, guiding the Hornets back into the Premier League for the first time since the 2006/07 season.  Gomes recently signed a new contract with Watford and could very well face his former club next season in Premier League play.