Spurs

REDKNAPP AXED

Harry Redknapp can probably cancel that scouting mission to the European Championships after he was sacked by Tottenham after four years in charge.

It was not the end expected by many fans as the former West Ham and Portsmouth chief was widely tipped to be in Poland and Ukraine right now – but in charge of England rather than Roy Hodgson.

Redknapp claims he would have been axed even if Spurs had returned to the Champions League next season – Didier Drogba’s penalty against Bayern Munich ensured they didn’t – while he also says Spurs were not too far off winning the Premier League.

However, odds of 25/1 to win the title next term would appear to suggest otherwise.

DUTCH NIGHTMARE

If Redknapp is looking for a start in international management then he might do well to keep an eye on Bert van Marwijk’s situation as Holland manager.

The Dutch have managed just one goal in two games at Euro 2012 so far – both defeats – to leave the 2010 World Cup finalists on the brink of an early exit.

Holland were tipped to go all the way in Poland and Ukraine but the 1988 European champions might not even make the knockout stage.

The Dutch are 5/1 to get themselves out of the mire and make the quarter-finals this summer.

MURRAY MINCED

Andy Murray was not expected to do much at the French Open and he did not disappoint by crashing out in the quarter-finals to David Ferrer.

Clay is not his surface but grass is which makes his second-round exit at the Aegon Championships – having received a first-round bye- a real shock despite recent injury problems.

Nicolas Mahut was too strong for the Scot on Wednesday and now the British number one is scrambling around to arrange matches in order to hone his skills for Wimbledon as a Grand Slam breakthrough remains as elusive as ever.

Murray is 13/2 to go all the way at SW19 later in the summer.

WALLABIES NOT SHARPE

Wales may well have got off to a losing start against Australia in Brisbane at the weekend, but Wallabies lock Nathan Sharpe expects a backlash.

Having gone down to Scotland in a penalty-fest in Newcastle on June 5, Robbie Deans’ men bounced back to beat the reigning Six Nations champions.

But that was only the Red Dragons’ second game together in months while the Australians have been in camp far longer yet were still less than 10 points better off.

Attention now moves to the second of three Tests in Melbourne and Sharpe claims Wales will match the Aussies in raising the level of intensity.

The real shock, of course, is finding an Australian who is not 100 per cent convinced his side is the best!

Wales are 7/4 favourites to retain their Six Nations crown in 2013.

PAC PROBE

After four shocks, one which is less so is the announcement the WBO is looking into Timothy Bradley’s controversial win over Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas last weekend.

In a statement on the WBO’s website, Valcarcel said: “The WBO, through its Championships Committee, will evaluate the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley, which ended in a controversial result.

“The Championships Committee will meet soon and examine the video of the fight with five renowned international judges, and according to what is found, it will make its recommendation in accordance with the rules.”

Meanwhile, Amir Khan v Danny Garcia in July is among the upcoming fights currently featured by totesport.com.

Khan himself is no stranger to being involved in controversy following Lamont Peterson’s positive test for synthetic testosterone.

The Bolton fighter is a 2/9 chance to bounce back by beating Garcia in Las Vegas.

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Redknapp has been absent for the past three weeks following minor heart surgery but that hasn’t stopped his team from picking up points. They have won seven of their last eight in the league, meaning they have made their best start since 1990.

With memories of last season’s Champions League adventure still fresh in the mind, Tottenham are desperate for a return to Europe’s premier competition.

They currently sit in fifth place, on the cusp of that magical fourth spot, but with six points separating Newcastle in third and Liverpool in seventh, competition for the Champions League places is set to be intense.

Villa boss Alex McLeish, meanwhile, will be quietly satisfied with his start to life in the Villa Park hot seat. The Scot knew he needed a decent start following his controversial move from city rivals Birmingham over the summer, so eighth place after 11 games represents a respectable opening.

However, the trip to White Hart Lane – a ground where they have won just once in ten years – sees the start of a tough run of fixtures from now until Christmas. Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea all lie on the horizon, meaning those early season points could prove more valuable than first thought.

Tottenham will be hoping that Rafael van der Vaart will recover from a hamstring injury in time to play. The Dutchman has scored six goals in his last six games and is understandably 4/1 joint favourite to net first. If van der Vaart doesn’t make it then Jermain Defoe may get a rare start. Defoe has hit three goals in Tottenham’s last four home games against Villa and is 9/2 to do so again.

Unsurprisingly, with their dazzling array for forwards, goalscoring has not been a problem for Redknapp’s men. They have hit 20 goals in their past eight league games – so over 2.5 goals at 8/13 looks a good option while four or more goals is priced at 7/4.

Villa meanwhile will again be relying on Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor to supply them with goals. Former Sunderland hit man Bent – now an England regular – has five goals this season and has scored four in six league matches against Spurs. Agbonlahor also has five goals and earned recall to Fabio Capello’s squad for last week’s friendly double header with Spain and Sweden, only for a hamstring injury forcing him to pull out. Villa will hope he has recovered in time for Monday. Bent is priced at 15/2 to score first, while strike partner Agbonlahor is 10/1.

Despite being unbeaten against London clubs in 2011, Villa have yet to win away this season and their price of 6/1 reflects this. The draw is priced at 3/1, with a Tottenham victory 8/15. Value bets may be found in Spurs scorecasts, with Tottenham 2-1 Aston Villa priced at 18/1.

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Redknapp’s quotes came after his side had produced a remarkable turn around to beat the Gunners on their own patch for the first time in 17 years and will probably be put down to over excitement at the result.

Seeing as how Spurs haven’t won the title since 1961 it might be a little bit optimistic of Tottenham fans and punters to expect them to be winning the league less than a year after they had scraped into the Champions League.

However, Redknapp was not to be denied another moment in the sun as he went on to say that he thought his Spurs’ side can beat anyone in the Premier League.

“We can beat anybody and this win today has put us right back in the race again. It is wide open,” said Redknapp

“We can achieve anything. We have to believe. It is not impossible to win the title. Let’s see how we go.”

While one half of north London would have been celebrating long into the night, it was a different story in the red half, with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger left kicking himself at his side’s failure to hold onto a two goal lead, a result which would have sent them top.

Chelsea losing at Birmingham might have been a good result in the eyes of some Arsenal fans but had they not capitulated they would have been a point clear right now.

Arsenal are still 4/1 to win the Premier League but the 3-2 reverse could have a huge impact on the Gunners season and the coming weeks could be a struggle, something Wenger claims he is well aware of.

“What is worrying for me is that we had an opportunity to go top of the league and when you have to deliver, we can’t. That’s worrying because that’s part of our job,” said Wenger.

“We put ourselves in the right position and we failed, so we have to accept that. That is mental more than football.”

While Wenger was in a downbeat mood after Arsenal’s defeat West Ham manager Avram Grant was amazingly upbeat considering his team’s predicament.

The Hammers were pitiful in their 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday evening and look for all the world like they will need a miracle to save them from relegation, with totesport agreeing after they made them the 4/7 favourites for the drop.

Grant’s time at Upton Park has been a disaster and the natives have begun to turn on the former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss, signing the name of potential replacement Paulo Di Canio at Anfield.

Despite the pressure Grant still believes he can turn things around and save the hapless Hammers.

“I am concentrating on my job. Even now in this situation we can get out of this,” said Grant.

“If I can take West Ham to the place I want to take them that is what is important.”

While Grant  desperately trying not to discuss the obvious frailties of his side Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wasn’t afraid to bemoan his side for not scoring more than two against nine-man Wigan.

“We really could have done our goal difference a power of good in the last 20 minutes. We missed a lot of chances and we could have had five or six, easily,” said Ferguson.

United’s win over Wigan moved them into second, level on points with Chelsea at the top of the league, but that was overlooked in favour of concentrating on the return of the chosen one, Wayne Rooney.

The 25-year-old made his long-awaited return to Old Trafford, coming off the bench for the last half an hour to a decent reception from the United faithful, who had every right to be disgruntled with Rooney after the recent contract saga.

Ferguson wasn’t forthcoming with praise for Rooney on his comeback but hoped we would see the real Wayne when United take on Rangers (11/2 to qualify from Group C) in the Champions League on Wednesday.

“It was a quiet comeback. He got involved in a few bits of the interplay. He needed 25 minutes or so,” said Ferguson.

“He will play against Rangers on Wednesday, that is the perfect game for him to come back and get 90 minutes.”

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The 63-year-old is preparing to lead Spurs into battle against European champions Inter Milan on Wednesday in the Champions League at the San Siro – a fixture the north Londoners’ fans could only dream about given their failure to crack the top four domestically until last term (Inter 8/13, draw 14/5, Spurs 9/2).

Redknapp has selection problems for the Italian job with Rafael van der Vaart banned and Sandro ineligible, while the likes of Jermain Defoe, Michael Dawson (both knee) and Jamie O’Hara (back) are still sidelined.

In addition, Younes Kaboul (hamstring) remains a doubt for the Group A encounter with the Serie A giants as Tottenham look to build on their unbeaten start in Europe.

And while the Champions League looks to be a long shot for Spurs at their first attempt (33/1 Outright), Redknapp is in no mood to take the foot off the pedal at home as he looks for the funds to compete with Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal.

He said: “I think Tottenham may be one or two big signings away from being a team that could win the championship.

“One or two players in the right positions – and I’m talking about two top, top players in the right positions. If we could go and do that I think Tottenham are a team that could win the championship in a couple of years.”

Redknapp added: “This squad is just so full of talent anyway, players who have made their mark and (chairman) Daniel Levy has done a great job backing my judgment and improving the squad and the club, that I really believe we’re not far away from that level.”

“We’ve got a lot of players here who could play for any club.?

Group A’s other fixture tonight sees Dutch champions FC Twente (13/10 to win the game) entertain Werder Bremen (19/10) of Germany.

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Tottenham

Spurs go to the San Siro hoping to continue the strong start to their first outing in the Champions League after an away draw with Werder Bremen and a home win against FC Twente.

The north London club are on four points in Group A alongside Inter (11/10 Serie A outright) and Redknapp believes that a cautious approach is the right way to go against the European champions.

He said: “We can’t go out there and be wide open. We’ve got to be sensible against the better teams.

“We have to be difficult to beat, first and foremost. I wouldn’t sit here and kid ourselves – if we came back with a point we would all be delighted.

“We want to win, obviously, but you have got to hit them on the break. You are not going to suddenly start swarming all over them. They are a top team.”

Spurs have had their big challenge made easier as Inter will be without Diego Milito and Esteban Cambiasso, who both picked up injuries playing for Argentina.

Cambiasso is key in midfield for the Italian side as he manages to break up play and has a strong passing game.

Milito was key for the San Siro club last season, scoring vital goals in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich as well as hitting the back of the net in the Italian domestic cup final and scoring important goals in the Serie A.

Redknapp thinks that Spurs will still face a tough task despite the absence of the two Argentineans.

He said: “They have real dangers. [Samuel] Eto’o is playing fantastic at the moment for them. It will be a great game for the players to go there and show what they can do.

“We have always got attacking players. Whoever we pick we will have our share of players who want to go forward and create and score goals. That is how we play.

“It’s a big challenge and a fantastic game to look forward to.”

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Tottenham

Redknapp is generally a fan of the Italian and believes the former Milan and Juve chief is the right man to successfully guide the Three Lions to Euro 2012.

However, he has questioned his usage of Spurs forward Crouch, who was deployed alongside Wayne Rooney at Wembley this week.

“Peter Crouch is 6ft 7in tall so his best asset is an obvious one,” he said in his column in The Sun.

“It’s no good putting him up front and then trying to play the ball to his feet all the time.

“Peter is a technically good player but England should use his height – because he towers above most defenders.

“I’m the last one to advocate the long-ball game but, if you have a player like Steven Gerrard who can put the ball on his head from 35 yards out, do it.

“While he does that, the team can surge forward as a group and pick up the second ball, the knockdown they know is coming.

“If you’re not going to make the most of Crouchie, don’t play him, simple as that. Use a little striker instead.”

Redknapp also believes Capello needs to get the most out of key trio Rooney, Gerrard and Frank Lampard if England are to become a major player on the international stage once again.

“I have a vision of a ‘golden triangle’ for England,” he added. “Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the middle, with Wayne Rooney playing off a striker and dropping back a little bit.

“In that way, he can play just in front of the two central midfielders and is a great link-man between midfield and up front.

“There is no doubt Rooney is still a world-class striker. But again when Lampard is missing, there is an obvious gap in the team.

“I think Rooney is perfectly suited to the role of dropping off a main striker, because he is superb at running at defences with the ball.”

Redknapp, whose Spurs side go to London rivals Fulham (Spurs 9/5, Fulham 7/5, the draw 9/4 – 90 minutes) this weekend, remains confident England can not only make it to Poland and Ukraine for the European Championships but says they have the ability to win the tournament outright (8/1).

“England had a poor World Cup, yet we still have the players and manager to go and win Euro 2012,” he said.

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Tottenham Hotspur

Newly-appointed Real manager Jose Mourinho has been linked with a move for the Wales international in the January transfer window.

The former Chelsea boss has been looking to bolster his defensive options at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole also being linked with a move to the Spanish giants.

However, Redknapp has insisted that he will not be letting Bale leave north London.

He said: “I read in the papers the other day that Gareth’s performances for Spurs have already caught the attention of other teams around the world – including Real Madrid  and their manager, a certain Jose Mourinho.

“Jose certainly knows a player when he sees one. But one thing is for sure. I am not letting Gareth go anywhere.

“Tottenham is a team on the up and we are building something at White Hart Lane,” he added.

Bale has had a strong start to the Premier League season, scoring three goals including one in the Champions League against Dutch side FC Twente.

The 21-year-old has developed into a great player for Spurs since he joined the North London club in 2007 from Southampton.

Initially Bale struggled to cope with life in the Premier League and had an astonishing run of not being part of a winning Spurs side.

However, the Welshman has improved greatly and Redknapp believes he is one of the best players in the top flight.

He said: “I do not make comparisons lightly but he and Ashley Cole are quite similar and that can only be a massive compliment to Gareth.

“My left-back at Tottenham has come through an amazing 12 months and matured into one of the best players in his position in the world.

“Just over a year ago, he had this awful jinx hanging over him where he had not played in a winning Spurs team,” he added.

Spurs will be hoping that Bale can continue his good form this season when they take on Aston Villa at White Hart Lane on Saturday (Tottenham Hotspur 20/21, draw 12/5, Aston Villa).

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Tottenham

The Gunners boss accepted an FA charge of improper conduct and was fined £8,000 for confronting fourth official Martin Atkinson after Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Sunderland last weekend.

He was fuming at officials after they permitted play to run over the allotted four minutes of added time, allowing Darren Bent to grab Sunderland’s equaliser.

The 60-year-old’s touchline demeanour has changed dramatically since he breezed serenely into English football in the mid-1990s with the reputation as a thinker and not a screamer.

Wenger now cuts an agitated figure at Premiership grounds around the country, giving off the impression that the world is against him and his team.

Redknapp has always enjoyed a good relationship with Wenger and joked that more then a decade in the English top-flight had dramatically altered Wenger’s character.

“When Arsene first came to England I remember reading articles and they said that he was like a professor watching the game,” he said.

“All the other nutters were jumping up and down shouting and screaming, hollering and hooting – and this man is not like those idiots.

“He just sits there and is studying every move that goes on the pitch like chess. They didn’t lose a game all season.

“Now he has joined the nutters, you know. In fact, he is one of the key nutters. That is the tension that you are under. It has affected him now.”

The pressure on Wenger to succeed increases every season that Arsenal fail to land any silverware, with the Premiership title eluding them since the 2003-2004 campaign, while it has been five years since they have claimed the FA Cup (Arsenal 11/2 to win Premiership).

The Emirates outfit have enjoyed a solid start to the season, with 11 points from five matches, but they are already four behind league-leading Chelsea, who travel to Eastlands today to try and keep up their 100 per cent record in the Premiership against Manchester City.

City boss Roberto Mancini has already conceded the title to Chelsea after just five matches, saying on Friday that he is sure the Blues will claim the trophy this season.

Wenger is known to be the eternal optimist and will never concede that Arsenal cannot win the title until it is mathematically impossible – one trait that has not diminished after such a  long time managing in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the English top flight.

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Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs qualified for the major European  club competition after they beat Manchester City to fourth spot in the Premier League in the last campaign.

After beating Swiss side Young Boys in a qualifying the North London club find themselves amongst the biggest names in club football.

Redknapp has admitted that the Spanish giants Real and Barca will be difficult to beat after making additions to their squads over the summer.

He said: “If an English team won it this year it would be a real feat because the two Spanish teams look fantastic.

“With the strength of them this year, if you asked me who the favourites for the competition were, I’d have to say them.

“An English team doing it would be a real achievement but look who they have brought in, it’s scary,” he added.

There is an extra incentive for English teams to reach the final of this year’s Champions League, with the final of the competition being played at Wembley this season.

Spurs (9/1 to win the FA Cup) will be competing with Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Rangers as the British clubs in the tournament.

Redknapp is hoping his players will learn plenty from playing the best clubs in the world with the likes of Inter Milan in Tottenham’s group.

He said: “For us it’s great experience, something new and different. It’s great for the club and the players.”

“When they play that music it is fantastic. It’s something you always dream of and to be involved in it is brilliant,” he added.

The former West Ham United manager will be hoping that creative midfielder Luka Modric will be available for selection for Tottenham’s away trip to Werder Bremen.

Modric picked up an injury which forced him from the field during his side’s 1-1 draw with West Brom at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

The Croatian had to watch the rest of the match on crutches from the sidelines and looks like a doubt to playing in the big midweek match in Germany.

Spurs have had their fair share of injury problems despite it being the early stages of the season with Jermaine Defoe, Michael Dawson, Heurelho Gomes and Jonathan Woodgate all out through injury.

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The 33-year-old has spent almost 10 years in the Premiership after five seasons at Chelsea and four at Arsenal but is currently without a club following his decision to leave the Emirates Stadium when offered a new deal on reduced wages.

The Frenchman has earned a reputation as a bit of a trouble maker in his career to date and was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy for publicly criticising his team-mates, while also staging a ’sit-in’ on the pitch at Birmingham back in 2008 following a 2-2 draw with the Blues.

He also left Chelsea under a cloud as part of the deal to take Ashley Cole to Stamford Bridge, with rumours, later denied by the player, that Gallas had threatened to score own goals if he was not allowed to leave Chelsea.

All the reports of petulant behaviour have not deterred Redknapp in his quest to sign the France international defender and he made it clear, in his own inimitable way, that he will have no problem bringing the former Caen defender to the club.

“It’s all cobblers,” he said. “What’s he done? It’s not the Yorkshire Ripper I’m signing, is it? He’s a footballer, he plays football.

“I must say, whenever we’ve played against him, I always felt he was a fantastic defender.

“I spoke to a few people about him – who have played with him and everything else – and everyone came back with the same views as I’ve got.

“And if he has got a temperament, from what they tell me and the people I spoke to who’ve played with him is that he gets the hump with people who are not as professional as he is.”

Gallas’ proposed move is bound to cause consternation among Gunners’ fans as they will possibly have to watch one of their former heroes playing his trade with their bitter north London rivals.

Former England defender Sol Campbell famously incurred the wrath of the Spurs fans by moving in the opposite direction back in 2001 after nine years with Tottenham and it could be pay back time for the Spurs faithful as they look set to welcome Gallas to the club before the transfer window closes at the end of August.

Spurs face Stoke at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday afternoon looking for their first win of the Premiership season following a 0-0 draw with Manchester City last weekend (Tottenham 6/5 to beat Stoke).

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