Tottenham Defender Blames Redknapp for Team's Poor Run

Croatian defender Vedran Corluka, who is currently on loan from Tottenham to German club Bayer 04 Leverkusen, says that Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, who is very close to landing the England manager job, is to blame for the Spurs' recent poor run in all the competitions, according to a Telegraph report.

Corluka feels that Redknapp does not give enough rest to his key players including Welsh winger Gareth Bale and Croatian midfielder Luka Modric like other teams such as Chelsea, Manchester City etc.

He feels that because of these key players being over played, they are down with fatigue all the time - even during the Spurs important games like the FA Cup semi finals against Chelsea - and this has resulted in Tottenham's recent form slump, according to the 26 year old defender.

"He didn't rotate enough - that's the main problem. I watched almost every Spurs game and they played them all with the same 11, 12, 13 players and that's why the players now are really tired. I wouldn't be surprised if they finished sixth," The Telegraph quoted Corluka as saying.

Apart from Modric and Bale, eight more players including Kyle Walker, Benoît Assou-Ekotto, Younès Kaboul, Jermain Defoe, Rafael van der Vaart, Brad Friedel Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor (on loan from Manchester City) have made more than 30 appearances for the Spurs this season.

Other players including Corluka, who was loaned to the German club in January, have made very little appearances for the Spurs this season.

And now with Tottenham, who have managed to win one out of their last nine Premier League games, having only four games remaining, Corluka is afraid that the Spurs in not going to qualify for the Champions League next season.

"They are three points behind fourth spot. They are fifth and it's going to be really difficult for them," ESPN quoted Corluka as saying.

Also, he believes that Tottenham's whole season is going to be a failure if they do not finish up in the top four of the Premier League.

"Yes, especially because three months before they were in the title race challenging City and United. Tottenham, for me, had one of the best teams in England and of course it will be an unsuccessful season if they don't go to the Champions League," he added.

However, Redknapp is unlikely to be affected by Corluka's judgment as afterTottenham's 1-2 defeat to Queen Park Rangers he denied suggestions his key players were being overused.

"We're putting it in players' minds now that they can't play twice a week because they'll get too tired. I think that's an absolute load of nonsense. Lionel Messi doesn't ever miss a game," the Telegraph quoted Redknapp as saying.