Redknapp expected in dugout
by a special correspondent
Harry Redknapp will return to the dugout and pick Tottenham’s team for their F.A Cup fourth round encounter against Watford on Friday, despite his on-going trial for tax evasion.
Free bet mobile bookmakers have installed Tottenham as clear favourites for the tie against at Vicarage Road, but doubts had been raised over whether Redknapp would be in the dugout for the game.
Spurs assistant manager Kevin Bond confirmed that Redknapp will resume full duties despite missing training this week after his trial for allegedly failing to declare an off-shore account for tax purposes got underway earlier this week.
Bond and both first team coaches Joe Jordan and Clive Allen have been putting the Spurs players through their paces ahead of their clash against Championship side Watford on Friday, with Bond pointing to the fact they had survived ably without Redknapp previously, when he was hospitalized following minor heart surgery earlier this season.
“Clearly the manager is not here, but very little (has changed) really,” he said.
“The training carries on pretty much as normal and everybody has been getting on with things as normal so there's not really a lot of difference except obviously Harry is not here during the day.
“We had a similar scenario a few weeks ago when Harry had a small (heart) procedure done and he wasn't here for a week or so leading up to the Fulham game.'
Spurs go into the game off the back of a hard-to-take defeat against Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday, when a late Mario Balotelli penalty denied the north London outfit of at least a point.
That defeat came off the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw with Wolves at White Hart Lane the week previously that served to dampen enthusiasm around White Hart Lane that the club could end their title drought of 51 years.
They now sit eight points behind City in the race for the title while they are five points clear of Chelsea, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League spot.
Bond admitted the defeat against City means their title challenge is all but over, but says there is a slim chance they could put themselves back in contention with a decent run of form.
'The City result and the way it came was a kick in the teeth,' Bond commented.
'We are eight points adrift (of City) so strictly speaking we are probably not (in the title race), but in three or four games' time that might be different. Hopefully we can get closer to them than we are now and then we would be back in it.'
Gareth Bale, Younes Kaboul and Scott Parker are all doubts for the game against Watford, with all three being forced to miss training on Thursday, while William Gallas and Sandro will also miss the game with calf complaints.
While Spurs are heavy favourites to make it through the 5th round, Bond says that Tottenham will have to be wary of complacency ahead of the tie against the Hornets.
Bond said: 'We are fully aware of how difficult a game it will be for us,' he said. 'It's Sean Dyche's first job as a manager and he has done very well there.'
· See the Spurs Odyssey preview for tonight's game here
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