Tottenham V Fulham at White Hart Lane : Match Preview

12 May 2012 15:01
Redknapp: Jol will have a point to prove

Harry Redknapp thinks Fulham manager Martin Jol will be out to prove a point when he visits White Hart Lane for the first time since he was sacked as Tottenham boss. Jol became a fans' favourite at the north London club after guiding Spurs to two consecutive fifth-place finishes, but he was controversially sacked in 2007. Juande Ramos claimed he was made a "dizzying offer" to take over at White Hart Lane while Jol was still in place and the Dutchman heard of his sacking via a text message from his nephew shortly after the club's defeat to Getafe. Jol has since gone on to have successful spells at Ajax, Hamburg and now Fulham, who have claimed 52 points - one short of the club's Premier League record - under his leadership. The game is of huge significance to Tottenham as the outcome could determine whether they qualify for the Champions League, but current boss Redknapp is not expecting to receive a helping hand from his opposite number tomorrow afternoon. Redknapp said: "Martin Jol was the manager here so he will want to come back and do well with Fulham. "He won't want to do us any favours, that is for sure. "Fulham are playing really well at the moment so it will be a very difficult game for us but we have to win it." Should Tottenham win they will seal a fourth-place finish in the Barclays Premier League for the second time in three seasons under Redknapp. Such a feat would normally secure Champions League football, but Spurs need to finish third to guarantee their passage to Europe's top club competition as Chelsea will take the fourth qualifying spot if they beat Bayern Munich a week today in the European Cup final.

To finish third Spurs will have to beat Fulham and hope Arsenal drop points at West Brom while Newcastle also have an outside chance of gate crashing the top four as they are one point behind Redknapp's team ahead of their visit to Everton. Spurs striker Jermain Defoe insists his team will not be distracted by all the permutations surrounding Sunday's games. "We can't think about the other games and all the other permutations, we just have to think about ourselves. That will be our approach," he told Spurs TV Online. "It's like a cup final for us on Sunday. "Finishing fourth was the goal at the start of the season and if you look at our squad we should be finishing in the top four." Spurs produced some stunning displays against Inter and AC Milan last season as they defied the odds to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League in their debut season in the competition. Defoe was a spectator for much of the European campaign due to an ankle injury, making his desire to qualify for the competition next year stronger. "We want to be in the Champions League. It's the elite competition," the 29-year-old said. "I was injured in first part last year but was involved in the last part. "I loved everything about it - that music, playing against the best players and the best teams in world so it's important for the whole club to get back in it." At the turn of the year few would have predicted Spurs' bid for Champions League football would come down to the final day of the season. The Londoners had gone on an 11-match unbeaten run - drawing just once in the process - towards the end of 2011 and had a chance to move joint top in mid-January. A terrible run of one win in nine matches through February and March saw Spurs' season take a major wobble, but midfielder Luka Modric thinks the club deserve to finish third thanks to their form earlier in the campaign. "To finish third would be an amazing achievement," the playmaker said. "We deserve to finish third if you look at how we have played over the season."

Source: PA