Source: Daily_Mail
Spurs on a learning curve and hunting top-four spot next season, says King
Tottenham[LNB]club captain Ledley King has billed tomorrow's BarclaysPremier League match at Aston Villa[LNB]as the measure of how far HarryRedknapp's men can go. [LNB]Spurs boss Redknapp is aiming to challenge the top four next season,while King has recently suggested he is already looking forward to the2009/10 campaign. [LNB][LNB] Dynamic duo: King and Robbie Keane (right) hope to break into Big Four[LNB]There is still the chance for Spurs to climb the current table and they travel to Villa Park to face a club they want to emulate, with Martin O'Neill's side fighting for a Champions League place. [LNB]'It's a good time for us - some questions will be answered after the game,' King predicts. [LNB]'Things have picked up of late; we've had good results, and the last two away games have been positive. We need that against Villa[LNB], because they are a good side in good form. But we have a good feeling about ourselves at the moment.' [LNB]King has been encouraged by eight points from Tottenham's last four league matches, as well as the performance levels during the Carling Cup final penalty shoot-out defeat to Manchester United. [LNB]'We know we can go places and get results, and that's what we need to do,' King added. [LNB]'We have the players to do it; we need to put in the work and dig deep - you need to do that in every game away from home. If we do that we'll be all right.' [LNB] King is hoping to play in the remaining games this season, because the time between fixtures allows him to rest the chronic knee condition that prevents him from training. [LNB] He could not play earlier in the season when Villa won at White Hart Lane, with the pace of Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young tearing Spurs apart. [LNB]'They are a good side,' said King. 'They have a lot of pace in their team and have a good shape about them. [LNB]'The manager is a top manager - someone I like and respect over the years. [LNB]'You know they are a hard-working, honest team with quality. They beat us earlier in the season. I watched it and saw an honest side, so it doesn't surprise me how well they have done.' [LNB]All eyes will be on Redknapp, because the Spurs manager was targeted by Villa fans when he was at Portsmouth[LNB]. [LNB]One fan, who has since received a five-year football banning order, aimed a coin at Redknapp which missed but struck Phil Sharp - leaving the assistant referee with a cut forehead. [LNB]Redknapp has insisted he has no fears returning to Villa Park, focusing instead on closing the gap with Villa over the next year. [LNB]Part of the process will be recruiting the right players, which Redknapp will be responsible for. [LNB]Last summer there were joint decisions made by Juande Ramos, sporting director Damien Comolli and chairman Daniel Levy. [LNB]'It's people spending the money and buying the right players and knowing what they are doing,' said Redknapp. 'That's why Martin O'Neill has done well - because he knows what he's doing. [LNB]'When you get people buying players who don't know what they're doing, then you've got problems - it doesn't matter how much they spend.' [LNB][LNB] Happy return: Jermain Defoe (left) has bossted Spurs since returning[LNB]Redknapp also needs to keep players such as Luka Modric, which Spurs failed to do last summer. [LNB]'I don't intend selling any of our better players, because we are looking to build a team here,' he said. [LNB]'Spurs were unlucky last year; we lost (Dimitar) Berbatov and (Robbie) Keane, after losing (Jermain) Defoe - and it's very hard to replace three strikers. [LNB]'Berbatov went right at the last minute, and that was a problem. I don't see letting people go who I want to keep.' [LNB]There are not many managers who have a better transfer record than Redknapp. [LNB]'I do know what I am doing, which is why I have survived 30 years in this business," he said. [LNB]'I do have a rough idea of who can play football. We all make mistakes, and I have made a few. I have also made quite a few correct ones - otherwise, I would not have lasted as long as I have. [LNB]'I have always bought wisely. I built a team at Portsmouth[LNB]without much money, but we paid good wages. [LNB]'The key players were free - Sol (Campbell), (Sylvain) Distin - we paid £1million for (David) James. Kanu was free.'[LNB][LNB] [LNB]
