Redknapp slams Spurs after Wigan reverse

AFP - 11 January 2009 16:50

Tottenham´s new signing Jermain Defoe (left) is seen in action as he is watched by his team mate Luka Modric during their Premiership football match against Wigan at home in Wigan at the JJB football Stadium. Maynor Figueroa´s stoppage-time header secured Wigan´s 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the JJB Stadium as they strengthened their grip on seventh place in the Premier League.

WIGAN (AFP) - Harry Redknapp questioned the character of his Tottenham Hotspur side after a 1-0 defeat away to Wigan on Sunday left them languishing in the bottom three of the Premier League.

Maynor Figueroa's stoppage-time header, his first goal for Wigan, here at the JJB Stadium denied Spurs a draw as the hosts remained seventh in the table.

Redknapp, who succeeded Juande Ramos as Spurs manager in October from their Premier League rivals and FA Cup holders Portsmouth, said that while the club had plenty of flair the north Londoners' appetite for a relegation scrap was open to question.

"If you look at the results of Tottenham over the last year you have to be concerned," he said.

"Look back to the end of last season after the Carling (League) Cup - where Spurs beat Chelsea in the final - and see how many points they have got.

"They had two points from eight games when I came here. How do you get two points from eight games?"

Redknapp added: "They (the players) put the club in it, it is up to them to get us out of it.

"There is plenty of flair, but we are in a relegation scrap and we need some men and some characters to get us out of it, that is what you are looking for when you are in the position we are in.

"We've got some but not enough. You'd put your life on Jonathan Woodgate, Michael Dawson, Didier Zokora, Jamie O'Hara."

Spurs's defence left Figueroa unmarked to head in from Ryan Taylor's corner as the Honduras left-back scored his first goal for the club and Redknapp said: "We didn't defend the corner.

"It looked a banker draw. I don't remember our keeper having to pull off many world class saves today."

Sunday's match was England striker Jermain Defoe's first for Tottenham since he rejoined the club from Portsmouth, but he struggled to get into the game.

"We didn't see a great deal of him. He needs someone up there with him who is going to get hold of the ball," said Redknapp, who replaced the ineffectual Roman Pavlyuchenko after eight minutes of the second-half.

Elated Wigan manager Steve Bruce said: "There is no better time to score than the last minute.

"But if any team was going to get it I felt we were the ones," he added.

"We found it very difficult to break them down with Woodgate, Dawson and Ledley King in there.

"Halfway through I was thinking it had 0-0 written all over it.

"I've just watched Figueroa to see how he has got in there and to be fair to him he's done his job exactly how we wanted him to do it.

"He has stood in front of the goalkeeper to come off, and he has got the header. Jermaine Jenas doesn't pick him up properly and he sticks it in the net," former Manchester United centre-half Bruce explained.