HARRY REDKNAPP ready to give Jermain Defoe a chance

HARRY REDKNAPP is ready to give Jermain Defoe the chance to revive his flagging Tottenham career.

Spurs had been willing to listen to offers for the England striker this summer after a miserable campaign in which he scored only four league goals last term.

But after a visit to a French fitness coach this summer Defoe, 28, is said to be reinvigorated and has been flying in pre-season.

And he has convinced White Hart Lane boss Redknapp that he can start as first-choice striker which would also give Defoe the opportunity to get back into Fabio Capellos Euro 2012 plans.

Redknapp said: "Jermain did not have the best time of things last season and had problems with injuries.

"He only scored four league goals and he is a 16-17 goal a season player, no question.

"But he has looked fit and he has looked really sharp in pre-season and a lot of that is down to his own efforts.

"He went over to France to see a fitness coach and that really does seem to have helped him a lot.

"I am looking for him to have a big season for Tottenham. He is really flying at the moment."

Yesterdays scheduled Premier League opener against Everton was postponed due to the riots. So Spurs will now open their campaign with a Europa League play-off visit to Hearts in Edinburgh on Thursday.

And Redknapp claims he is facing his first injury crisis of the season with a shortage of midfielders for the trip to Scotland.

Redknapp, who has failed in his bid to land West Ham midfielder Scott Parker, said: "I'm struggling in that area. Jermaine Jenas is injured and so are Sandro, Steven Pienaar and Tom Huddlestone.

"At the moment, I think only Luka Modric is fit to play in midfield.On top of that William Gallas and Ledley King are also out."

Tottenhams first Premier League fixture will now be the toughest of all away at Manchester United next Monday.

And Redknapp admitted: "You couldnt have asked for a more difficult start. But we cannot afford to think about United at the moment. The game I am concentrating on is the one at Hearts. That will be tough."

Redknapp has previously expressed reservations about whether he wanted the fifth-place finish that earned Tottenham their Europa League place.

But he now insists: "If we are in it then we want to win it.

"We'll be going into the problems that Hearts will give us in detail this week, but my assistant Joe Jordan managed the club for three years so he knows about them. Were aware how difficult itll be."

:roll:

Oh dear. That sounds like the kind of interview you'd give if you were trying to flog Jermain but failed in your attempt to bring in a replacement, so you grudgingly made the best of what you had. Combined with Ben's ITK this morning about Rossi not being sold for any price, and the prospects of us upgrading on our current strikers by the end of the month continue to look pretty bleak.

alex3 said:

"He only scored four league goals and he is a 16-17 goal a season player, no question.

Click to expand...

On the contary, there are many questions. On average he's a 12 goal a season player. Darren Bent was a 16-17 goal a season player at worst, but Redknapp didn't want him.

I also fail to see how you can give a player "a chance", that implies that he wasn't given a chance before. If you're going to give a player a chance it should be players that haven't had one and have a lot of potential.

:roll:

I Hope JD proves all doubters wrong, we were falling over ourselves to sign him back in Jan 2009, JERMAIN DEFOE...HE IS A YIDDO!!!

he came, he scored, he launched us to 4th with his quality season in 2009/10. he deserves another chance to find that form and become deadly again.

it's disgusting how 'so called fans' can just turn on a player who has never stopped trying for this club.

camaj said:

On the contary, there are many questions. On average he's a 12 goal a season player. Darren Bent was a 16-17 goal a season player at worst, but Redknapp didn't want him.

I also fail to see how you can give a player "a chance", that implies that he wasn't given a chance before. If you're going to give a player a chance it should be players that haven't had one and have a lot of potential.

Click to expand...

Completely agree. He's already been given a chance. :duh:

One thing I will say. If Redknapp goes throughout this season with Defoe and Crouch again and we struggle for goals then he'll be out the door. It's no-one's fault but Redknapps. It might be difficult to capture top quality strikers but it's HIS job to target REALISTIC signings. There's been plenty of options that would have improved us during the 3 or 4 windows we've needed strengthening and they've either been ignored or slipped away to other clubs.

Eek

don't take that interview that seriously...

Blockbuster said:

I Hope JD proves all doubters wrong, we were falling over ourselves to sign him back in Jan 2009, JERMAIN DEFOE...HE IS A YIDDO!!!

he came, he scored, he launched us to 4th with his quality season in 2009/10. he deserves another chance to find that form and become deadly again.

it's disgusting how 'so called fans' can just turn on a player who has never stopped trying for this club.

Click to expand...

He scored 18 league goals during that season and it was his best ever goal scoring season I think. He's not a prolific goalscorer IMO, not what a top 4 team would consider a prolific goalscorer. I'd sell 2 other strikers before selling Defoe though. Doesn't necessarily deserve to be sold, certainly not before Keane and Crouch, but certainly doesn't deserve to start either.

Mr Pink said:

don't take that interview that seriously...

Click to expand...

I wasn't going to :grin:

While reading it, I was imaging 'Arry with a bandage on his head and a big lump pushing it higher and higher, like in a cartoon. Perhaps he fell when them fellas mugged him in Spain, and gave his napper a crackmg:

Cummon JD! Get yo shootin' boots owwwwnnnn!

He'll be fine this season. His game's a little one sided and he thrives off certain scenarios, namely time and space to run at defenders and the ability to punt it into goal. Not as good finding space off the shoulder (DB is better at that)

Depends on the ammunition we give him,he may do well

Im sure Defoe will have a decent season. Its not rare for him to have an off season followed by a very good one.

That said Im sure we will buy a new striker

Agree with scat1620, my first thought after reading that was that we couldn't sell him and this is Harry's attempt at covering it up.

Come on, we're struggling to sell Bentley, Hutton, Gio etc. so people really thought we'd be losing Defoe? Plus the fact that he's our only 'short nippy' striker, I wouldn't read in to this too much...

What is the problem with Gallas and King?

jonathanhotspur said:

What is the problem with Gallas and King?

Click to expand...

They're for the knackers-yard, m8 :shrug:

Unfortunately most opposing teams defences are ready to give JD a chance.

He's too small, too selfish and greedy

No ty.

StartingPrice said:

They're for the knackers-yard, m8 :shrug:

Click to expand...

If we really are in the market for a new cb, it looks that way, doesn't it?