Palacios thrives on doing all the leg work

Alam Khan

• Last Updated: November 21. 2009 10:38PM UAE / November 21. 2009 6:38PM GMT

While fans and media set their focus on the flair players and goalscorers, Tottenham’s Wilson Palacios takes pride in his role of an “everyday worker” in the Premier League.

The combative Honduran midfielder faces former club Wigan for the first time today and he is still playing the tenacious style which first brought him to the attention of Spurs.

“It really makes me very happy that the manager speaks about me in that way and comparing me with a player who worked so hard for the good of the team,” said Palacios, who joined Tottenham for £12million (Dh72.8m) in January.

“I want to be known as Wilson the everyday worker. My job is to win the ball back and give it to a striker who knows more about scoring goals than me.”

That is not to say Palacios would not enjoy a goal against his former teammates today.

But with an abundance of attacking talent, Spurs need him as a shield a defence that has only kept two clean sheets in the league this season. Palacios displayed those qualities first at Birmingham and then Wigan, where he sparked the subsequent arrival of fellow countrymen Maynor Figueroa and Hendry Thomas.

With the former injured, it will be Thomas who comes up against his international colleague at White Hart Lane.

Away from the pitch is has been a tough time for Palacios, 25, after the abduction and murder of his teenage brother Edwin.

But Palacios is now looking forward to next year’s World Cup following Honduras’ first qualification since 1982, and perhaps being joined in the Premier League by more of his compatriots, including brother Johnny, a right-back, who has also attracted the attention of Wigan.

“In Honduras, football is very raw, very strong, but there is plenty of technique to it as well,” said Palacios. “The blend of technique and toughness suits the Premier League very well and is maybe why players from Honduras have had success. The thing about the game here is the speed. We have had to adapt to that very quickly.”

Thomas has done that and so too has someone who could be another rough diamond in Wigan’s midfield. Little was known about Mohamed Diame, 22, when he joined from the Spanish second division side Rayo Vallecano in August. But the Frenchman’s impressive recent performances have left manager Roberto Martinez comparing his abilities to Patrick Vieira.

“It’s rare to find someone with power, true quality and composure on the ball,” said the Wigan manager. “He’s someone who can go as high as he wants to go.”

Meanwhile, in north London, Palacios is also aiming for the top. “I think that Tottenham have a team good enough to be champions,” he said. “I say that with all the respect to the top teams, but that is what we have to aim for.”

akhan@thenational.ae

Tottenham v Wigan, KO 7pm, Showsports 1 & 2