Victor Wanyama is taking a breather after running up 46 flights of stairs to his home for the second time.
You could forgive him for wishing he’d bought an apartment on the second floor of this plush high rise in Montreal but Wanyama has reached a stage in life where he needs to go that step further.
‘I have a routine where I hit 12km by running up the stairs, going on the bike then doing weights,’ he says. ‘It’s not too bad. I take the lift down before I run back up,’ he adds with understatement.
Victor Wanyama has opened up on his decision to leave Tottenham for MLS side Montreal
Wanyama is currently obeying isolation measures inside his Montreal apartment
The punishing isolation regime, though mildly offset by his home’s stunning vista of Montreal’s metropolis, is aimed to replicate the distance Wanyama would normally cover in a game.
Just playing a game is something he has yearned for in recent years after a fragmented finale to his Tottenham career.
Bought from Southampton by ‘father figure’ Mauricio Pochettino, Wanyama’s time at Tottenham began with a flourish, fast earning a reputation as one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League.
Niggling knee injuries though saw him drift out of Pochettino’s reckoning. Despite fighting to prove his fitness, he remained on the periphery before finally running out of patience. When Thierry Henry offered a fresh start with Montreal Impact last month, he didn’t need asking twice.
‘I have come here to find my happy place again, playing football,’ says Wanyama. ‘I love Spurs but it was tough. I was a long time injured yet I came back stronger.
‘I never gave up, even if I wasn’t in the team, but I kept getting told I’d get my chance. What frustrated me was I worked hard to get fit and, if I wasn’t selected, I’d ask to play in the U23s to get sharpness but would be told “no”. It was as if I was a fragile egg. So, even when I got some games, it was difficult to be at my peak as I’d had so little minutes in preparation.
The midfielder said he was treated ‘like a fragile egg’ towards the end of his Tottenham career
‘Poch is still like a father figure to me. He played a big part in my game but why he chose to do what he did I don’t know. Maybe it was down to others above him.’
As injuries to others took their toll, Wanyama did manage to force his way back into the side last season.
‘I played against Manchester City and Ajax in the Champions League so it was a big blow not to get any minutes in the final. When we went behind so early I knew any changes were likely to be attacking ones.’
A Champions League final should have provided a springboard for more Tottenham success yet the team and, crucially, Pochettino fell flat, culminating in his sacking.
‘We had a rough time after the Champions League final. We were a tight group and it hit us very hard. The hangover lasted too long. There was no lack of harmony, we were capable of results. We just didn’t let it go quickly enough and it broke our spirit.
‘The transition under Jose Mourinho was okay. He is one of the best managers around but the squad had been used to playing and training a certain way for a long time. The formation changed so it can be difficult for some to change habits.’
The 28-year-old finally asked Jose Mourinho to leave after repeatedly being left out the team
The former Celtic man signed for Montreal in February following a lack of chances at Spurs
Mourinho’s approach was deemed more cautious. A centre midfielder was deployed to screen the centre backs while one full back would not go beyond the halfway line. Under Pochettino, both full-backs would play high up the pitch.
‘You need to be lucky with players adjusting quickly. It isn’t always simple. Things like Danny Rose having a disagreement with Jose, they happen all the time at clubs. That’s not my business. Jose is good with the players but you can’t keep everyone happy, especially when they’re not playing.’
Which brings us to how Wanyama got here.
‘When Jose arrived he was wondering why I wasn’t playing. I said ”I want to show what I can do” and he said I had to wait. I waited for too long so eventually I went to him and said I’d like to go.’
Wanyama (centre right) poses for a picture with Montreal chief Olivier Renard (left), Henry (centre left) and Bojan Krkic (right)
Despite interest from Italy and Spain, a January move failed to materialise. Instead, a February telephone call from Henry was timely.
‘Firstly, it’s Thierry Henry! Secondly, he made it clear how much he wanted me in the MLS with this exciting project. He sold Montreal to me easily. I spoke to Luis Binks who I knew from Tottenham plus Sapher Taider who was at Southampton and Bojan Krkic. They all said it was a great place to be.’
Henry also has something to prove.
Embarrassed how his foray into management with Monaco played out, he is another keen to press the reset button.
‘Hey, sometimes things don’t work out, we both know that,’ says Wanyama. ‘He is a good man. He has great experience, bright ideas and he speaks to you honestly. I like the fact he won’t let you make the same mistake twice. He points it out to you and tells you in the right way.’
They’ve struck up a rapport quickly, fuelled in part by Henry’s past allegiances to Arsenal and Barcelona. ‘I’m a Real Madrid fan and obviously still close to the guys at Tottenham so it makes for good banter.’
Wanyama said Thierry Henry was the driving fore behind his decision to join the Canadian side
After banking 96 minutes of action on his Montreal debut against Deportivo Olimpia in the Concacaf Champions League, Wanyama was relishing a brand new beginning. However, Canada has not been immune to the coronavirus pandemic.
There’s a dark irony that he finds himself on the sidelines again so soon but this time there are greater things to worry about.
His foundation is helping fight the virus outbreak in his native Kenya by supplying hand sanitisers and vital food for the Red Cross.
His actions have earned praise from the underprivileged in Nairobi. ‘The people who are back home living in the ghettos are being told to stay at home, but they have nothing to eat. I don’t look for respect from helping humanity, I love to help. I know I’m fortunate in life compared to many.’