Andoni Iraola pleased with Philip Billing effort after return from ban
ANDONI Iraola insists he was pleased with Philip Billing’s efforts on his return from suspension, saying the midfielder “was really dead” during extra time.
After a three-match ban following his red card against Nottingham Forest, Billing played the full 120 minutes on Tuesday, as Cherries lost to Leicester City in the FA Cup.
Having fallen out of the starting line-up, Billing told the Daily Echo in an interview in December: “I see it as a little bit of a rest. I’ve been playing a lot of games the last couple of seasons.
“I just see it as a little break and I just kind of get my enjoyment back.”
The 27-year-old followed a similar theme when speaking to BBC Radio Solent after the loss to Leicester, which he described as “not the end of the world” so Cherries can focus on the league.
Reflecting on his three-week suspension, Billing said: “You’re always disappointed when you can’t play and just train.
“But, to be honest, I kind of enjoyed it as well, kind of just chilling, to be honest.
“Of course, I didn’t mean to get sent off. Then you have three weeks, you’ve just got to get your head down, train well and apart from that I kind of relaxed as well, took my mind off football and enjoyed myself.”
Some of those comments have led to Billing receiving some criticism from supporters this week.
Asked what he made of Billing’s comments and how he has found working with the Dane this season, Iraola told the Daily Echo: “I haven’t read any interviews and I don’t know what he said. I cannot give a lot of opinions without reading it.
“But I think Philip has other things apart from football he likes, which I think is a very good thing, because we all need our places to disconnect and to think of other things.
“I think it is something good for everyone.
“The only thing I ask him, and he gives me, is to try to push.
“He knows he needs to fight for the minutes, because he has strong competition.
“I think he tried the other day. He finished destroyed.
“We were going to change him in extra time, but we had the cramps from Milos (Kerkez), we only had one change and he had to finish the game.
“He was really dead in the second half of extra time. He couldn’t push, because he didn’t have more.
“He gave everything he had. He didn’t have more.”
Billing is set to travel with the squad to Turf Moor for tomorrow’s Premier League game with Burnley.
One of Billing’s two goals from his 24 appearances this season was the long-range winner when Cherries defeated the Clarets 2-1 at Vitality Stadium back in October.
