‘You’re in trouble’: Richard Keys defends player Tottenham let go amid World Cup drama

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Richard Keys has defended former Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen who seems to be in a ‘rift’ with his Belgium team-mate, Kevin de Bruyne, at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

The TV presenter thinks de Bruyne’s comments before his side were beaten by Morocco were just going to land him in ‘trouble’, as he told beIN SPORTS (27/11/22 at 6:10 pm).

With Roberto Martinez picking an ageing squad for the World Cup, including 35-year-old Vertonghen, his international teammate proceeded to state that Belgium had no chance of securing glory.

Well, after their unconvincing win over Canada, then a loss to Morocco, Vertonghen proceeded to fire back at those claims by questioning the age of the forward line.

And given that Belgium still have one game to go and they are still in the group stages, Keys doesn’t understand why de Bruyne is being so forthright to the media.

“The Belgians aren’t as happy,” said Keys. “We were speculating earlier just how deep their rifts were. Jan Vertonghen has said that he’s had a real pop at his colleagues.

“He is claiming ‘we probably attack badly because we are too old’. I mentioned earlier, the article de Bruyne wrote in the Guardian. I was amazed to read it myself. De Bruyne was knocking down their hopes. If teammates start to fall out like that, then you are in trouble.

“I just think mid-tournament, two games in, it’s not the comments to make (from de Bruyne) – in this case, de Bruyne has gone out and said ‘we are playing the wrong way and a few of us are too old’. If I am Jan Vertonghen, ‘hang on a minute, me? Really?’.

“I think he has every right to respond as he did. But none of it bodes well.”

THE END OF THE ROAD FOR BELGIUM 

It’s Croatia up next for Belgium for their final group game and they are going to need something if they want to progress to the knockout stages.

Whilst a lot has been said from the players off the field of play, the real talking will be done on the pitch.

In truth, even if the Red Devils progress to the knockout stages, then they probably won’t go further than the round of 16 given how abject their performances have been.