Townsend banished by Spurs to leave future at club in doubt

Andros Townsend has been dropped from first-team training at Tottenham to leave his future at the club in serious doubt following an altercation with a member of staff.

Townsend was photographed by the Daily Mail lashing out at fitness coach Nathan Gardiner on the White Hart Lane pitch after his team’s 3-1 win over Aston Villa on Monday night.

The 24-year-old was involved in a heated exchange with Gardiner, shoving the coach in the chest, and shouting at him during a row.

Townsend apologised for his actions subsequently, but that has not been enough to avoid sanctions by Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, who revealed the winger wouldn’t be involved against Anderlecht on Thursday as a disciplinary measure.

“He’s not available for tomorrow. It’s because of Monday. You know. You behave in the wrong way you always need to pay,” Pochettino old a news conference to preview the game.

“It’s always my decision if he is part of the squad. The discipline for me is very important. We have a young squad and the player made a mistake, and when you cross the limit it is important to stop that.

“I am very friendly but the discipline is very important.”

“The staff need to show respect to the player and the player needs to show respect to the staff.

“He recognised that he made a mistake. It is my decision, you need to pay. There is always a consequence before time to come back again with the team to train.

“I can understand because I was a player and when you don’t play you’re unhappy and sometimes your expectation is bigger.

“But it was not normal behaviour. He is young and you need to understand that it isn’t the way to impress the manager.

“He needs to learn about football, about behaviour, about discipline, about a lot of things. Football is not only about taking the ball in your feet and playing. You have a responsibility as a professional.”

Will Townsend be sold by Spurs in January, or is there still a way back for him? What would his value be in today’s market? Discuss this on the Spurs Your Say forum.