Midfielder is pursuing his ambitions with Spurs and Honduras six months after contemplating retirement following the kidnapping and murder of his younger brother Edwin
The abandonment of their game with Liverpool was a source of great frustration for a Tottenham side who firmly believed they could secure a pivotal victory in the race to finish in the top four. But for Wilson Palacios, the pause in play does at least provide more time to reflect on what has an incredible year, during which the Spurs midfielder has established himself at a new club and helped his nation qualify for the World Cup – but also came close to quitting football altogether.
Personal trauma was the cause for the 25-year-old’s internal conflict, brought on by the discovery last May of the body of his younger brother Edwin. The teenager had been kidnapped from the family home in La Ceiba, a port city located on the northern fringe of Honduras, by an armed gang in October 2007. They demanded £125,000 for his release but, despite being given the ransom, went on to murder the 16-year-old.
“It was extremely tough for me and I did come close to retiring,” is how Palacios reflects on the tragedy. Anyone who has witnessed him perform for Spurs recently could conceivably put his eventual change of heart down to an inner determination and drive but the player is the first to admit that it took others to persuade him to carry on playing.
“It has always been my dream to be a footballer and my family and my friends kept reminding me of that,” he says. “I decided all I could do is keep focused. Playing for a club like Tottenham definitely helps you do that and everybody here has really helped me; my team-mates, the management and the directors.”
They in turn are just relieved Palacios not only returned to action but has performed so impressively since. The player, who arrived from Wigan for £13m 12 months ago, has featured in every one of Spurs’ 20 league fixtures and with his relentless runs and pounding tackles from midfield has become the driving force behind their gathering success – the London club are currently fourth, having won three and drawn one of their past four league games.
“My game has definitely come on since my time with Wigan,” Palacios says. “I am making progress. Overall, the team have been going well. We have dropped some points but everybody is still determined that this will be a successful year.”
What makes Palacios’s contribution more remarkable is that he is performing despite continuous mental torment. Edwin’s death still lingers and Wilson is fully aware that other members of his family – he has three remaining brothers as well as both parents – are at risk of being snatched at any time.
That is a fear many people in Central American share given the high rate of kidnaps that take place in the region, and it is particularly acute for those who, like Palacios, have wealth.
“It [kidnapping] is more prevalent if you are well known, especially a footballer,” he says. “I am aware that my family must take care with the way they go about their lives. It is something which is always on my mind.”
Family and religion are key planks of Palacios’s life. Raised in a devoutly Catholic household, he was introduced to football by his father Eulogio, who played for the Honduran club Le Mercedes before setting up a soccer school that all of his sons attended.
Wilson was the star and, having shone at his nation’s top club Olimpia, he was soon being offered to European clubs. Spurs supporters may jolt when hearing that his first trial in England was with Arsenal. “They treated me well but it didn’t come off because Arsenal have a surplus of midfield players,” he says. “Patrick Vieira had gone but Cesc Fábregas and others were starting to play.”
It was Arsène Wenger’s recommendation, however, that persuaded Steve Bruce to take Palacios to Birmingham before he then re-signed the player shortly after taking over at Wigan in November 2007.
Palacios eventually moved to London and shows no signs of slowing down his development. This summer he will also demonstrate his talents on a global stage following Honduras’s qualification for the World Cup, the first time they have reached the tournament since 1982.
“For my country this is an amazing achievement,” he says. “We know we’re in a tough group [Group H, which also includes Spain, Chile and Switzerland], but we’re looking forward to it.
“For my family, this is also a special moment, especially after what happened to Edwin. He is with God now but he is also with us, all the time and wherever we go.”
Tottenham HotspurPremier LeagueHondurasSachin Nakraniguardian.co.uk
