Tottenham Hotspur will still be able to attract top players even if they do not qualify for next year's Champions League, manager Andre Villas-Boas said on Friday. The north London club's hopes of qualifying are hanging in the balance with them needing to win their final Premier League match of the season at home to Sunderland on Sunday while hoping bitter rivals Arsenal fail to beat Newcastle United.
Tottenham, who are fifth going into the final weekend of the season, missed out on Europe's elite competition last season despite finishing fourth because Chelsea, who came sixth, won the trophy and took England's final qualification place. Despite that setback they managed to hold on to their talented Welsh forward Gareth Bale, but that could prove even more of a challenge after Bale's superb form earned him the Player of the Year award.
Villas-Boas, however, is keen to add to the squad and believes the club will be able to strengthen. "I'm not sure (Champions League qualification) is that key because Tottenham has a great tradition in football, it has conditions that other clubs don't have but equally these (training) facilities," Villas-Boas told a news conference.
"And I think we have a group of players that attract other players to come here. They are good quality players and other players, in bigger or same level squads, would want to join up and play with them." Bale, whose contract runs until 2016, has been linked with a move to some
10:41 PM, May 17, 2013
London : On the final day of last season, Arsenal narrowly held off fierce rivals Tottenham to claim third place in the Premier League - which proved more important than either team knew at the time. A year later, with the title fight decided and the three relegation spots already settled, the two North London neighbours are fighting it out again for a place in the top four and lucrative...
06:58 PM, May 17, 2013
London: Clint Dempsey scored the tying goal on a sliding shot into an empty net from 30 yards, then crossed to Emmanuel Adebayor for the a goal-ahead in the 83rd minute to lead Tottenham over Stoke 2-1 Sunday and into fourth place in the Premier League. Steven Nzonzi gave Stoke the lead in the third minute, and Dempsey put the ball in the net in the 15th, only to have...
11:07 PM, May 12, 2013
London: A late equaliser from substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson earned Tottenham Hotspur a 2-2 draw at Chelsea in a pulsating London derby on Wednesday that prolonged a three-way battle for two Champions League places. The Iceland international shot low past Petr Cech on 80 minutes to deny Chelsea, who were twice ahead, a victory that would have effectively guaranteed the hosts a top four finish and Champions League football next season....
03:47 AM, May 09, 2013
London: Sacked last year after less than nine months in charge at Stamford Bridge before rebuilding his reputation at Tottenham Hotspur, Andre Villas-Boas said his return to Chelsea for a key Premier League clash on Wednesday was "not very special". "It's a club that I have gone past," Villas-Boas told a news conference on Tuesday. "I have good and bad memories like everybody else, but it's a pity it didn't...
10:25 PM, May 07, 2013
England: Rafa Benitez can virtually wrap up part one of his mission at Chelsea by guiding the team to the cusp of the Champions League with a win over top-four rival Tottenham in the Premier League on Wednesday. The Spaniard is still unloved at Stamford Bridge but even the most ardent critic of Benitez must be impressed with the job he's done in his six months at the club. By...
11:37 AM, May 07, 2013
London: Chelsea are hopeful Belgium winger Eden Hazard can shrug off a calf problem in time for Wednesday's crucial Premier League showdown with Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge. The quicksilver Hazard was forced to miss Sunday's 1-0 victory at champions Manchester United after sustaining the injury in the Europa League semi-final win over Swiss club Basel on Thursday. "He has a problem with his calf," interim manager Rafael Benitez told...
03:46 PM, May 06, 2013
Enfield: Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas would welcome his mentor Jose Mourinho back to the Premier League next season, saying his return would be spectacular. Villas-Boas worked under Mourinho at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan before deciding to forge a name for himself by taking on the coaching job at Portuguese club Academica. Mourinho, who parted company with Chelsea in 2007 having won two league titles, dropped heavy hints this...
08:41 PM, May 02, 2013
London: Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Gareth Bale was named England's Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association on Thursday. The Wales international, 23, topped the poll of journalists with a narrow victory over Manchester United's Dutch international forward Robin van Persie, who won it last year when he was at Arsenal. Chelsea's Spanish midfielder Juan Mata came third. Bale is the first Spurs player to win the world's oldest...
04:57 PM, May 02, 2013
London: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that if his team win their last three Premier League games they will qualify for the Champions League, but both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur could yet scupper his hopes. If Chelsea take at least nine points from their last four games, they will finish on 74 points. If Tottenham win their four remaining games, they would also finish on 74 points. However, even if...
04:38 PM, Apr 29, 2013
London: Still to win any trophies with Tottenham, Gareth Bale collected the top two awards in English football on Sunday to cement his status as one of the sport's most talented players. The Wales forward was voted player of the year and the young player of the year by his fellow professionals in English football. "It's a massive honor," said Bale, who was also voted player of the year in...
09:02 AM, Apr 29, 2013
London: Chelsea kept up their push for a Champions League spot by beating Swansea 2-0 on Sunday with both goals coming shortly before the halftime break. Oscar put Chelsea ahead at Stamford Bridge in the 44th minute and Frank Lampard then doubled the lead from the penalty spot a minute later for his 201st goal for the club, moving him within one of Bobby Tambling's record. Lampard began the game...
12:01 AM, Apr 29, 2013
Inter Milan have been fined 45,000 euros for the racist behaviour of their fans during a Europa League last 16 second-leg match at home to Tottenham Hotspur in March, UEFA said in a statement on Friday. Benfica have also been hit by a 32,000 euro fine for organisational issues and the conduct of their supporters at the Europa League last 16, first leg against Girondins Bordeaux in Lisbon last month....
12:32 AM, Apr 27, 2013
London: Arsene Wenger believes English clubs will be challenging strongly again in the Champions League next season after this term's German dominance although his side face an anxious few weeks trying to secure their place. The north London club have been ever-presents in the Champions League for 15 consecutive seasons, but face a scrap with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur to keep that run going. With champions Manchester United visiting the...
07:22 PM, Apr 26, 2013
Here are the top goal scorers of the English premier league 2012-13 as on Monday. 24 Robin van Persie (Manchester United) 23 Luis Suarez (Liverpool) 18 Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur) 17 Michu (Swansea City) 15 Christian Benteke (Aston Villa) Demba Ba (Chelsea) 14 Rickie Lambert (Southampton) 13 Dimitar Berbatov (Fulham) Romelu Lukaku (West Bromwich Albion) 12 Santi Cazorla (Arsenal) Frank Lampard (Chelsea) Edin Dzeko (Manchester City) Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)...
08:48 AM, Apr 23, 2013
London: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says his side are not inferior to Manchester United despite a 3-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday giving their rivals the chance to clinch their 20th league title with four games to spare. Victory for United at home to Aston Villa on Monday would put Alex Ferguson's side 16 points clear of City - a huge margin compared to last season's title race...
10:01 PM, Apr 21, 2013
London: Tottenham scored three goals in seven minutes late in the second half to beat Manchester City 3-1 Sunday, ensuring runaway leaders Manchester United can wrap up the Premier League title on Monday. Gareth Bale, back from an ankle injury, sealed a rousing comeback by Spurs with a chipped finish in the 82nd minute after goals by Clint Dempsey and substitute Jermain Defoe left second-place City stunned at White Hart...
09:17 PM, Apr 21, 2013
London: Manchester City's grip on the Premier League trophy could be prised away once and for all this weekend as Roberto Mancini's side face Tottenham Hotspur knowing defeat would allow Manchester United the chance to be crowned champions on Monday. A sense of inevitability has hung over the title race for several weeks but below it, the season is reaching a nerve-jangling climax both in the battle to qualify for...
10:22 AM, Apr 20, 2013
London: Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Gareth Bale is hot favourite to win the Player of the Year Award from his fellow professionals after the short-list for this season's nominations was issued on Friday. The Wales international, 23, is also favourite to win the Young Player of the Year Award, the other honour voted by members of the Professional Footballers Association (PFA), after scoring 22 goals for Spurs and five for Wales...
08:32 PM, Apr 19, 2013
London: Tottenham Hotspur forward Clint Dempsey says there has been a tense atmosphere at the Premier League club in recent weeks as they pursue a top four spot and a chance to qualify for next season's Champions League. Spurs have been in the hunt for third place all season but lost twice in March and drew against Everton on Sunday to drop to fourth, with fifth-placed Arsenal now breathing down...
04:40 PM, Apr 09, 2013
