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'Worried' Defoe not planning on leaving Tottenham

Jermain Defoe cannot break into the Tottenham team © PA Photos

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Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe says that he is committed to the club, despite failing to nail down a regular place in the side this season.

Defoe, 29, has been forced onto the bench as manager Harry Redknapp has opted for the duo of Emmanuel Adebayor and Rafael van der Vaart up front. However, with QPR reportedly interested in securing his signature, Defoe maintains that he is happy where he is.

"Fans who have probably read things come up to me every day and say, 'Don't leave the club'. I was at a charity dinner the other night when a fan came up and said it to me," he told the Daily Mirror.

"I've done it before - when I went to Portsmouth and scored my goals to remind people what I can do - but I am committed to Tottenham. I love the club and I love the fans. It's a really important time for the club. Everyone wants to play their part and I'm no different."

Still, without playing regularly Defoe has missed out on the last few England squads and concedes that his lack of first-team football could cost him a place at Euro 2012.

"I won't lie, I am worried about not going to the European Championship. I want to give myself every chance," he said. "It feels already a little bit like the 2005-06 season, when I scored a lot of goals but didn't start a lot of matches. I ended up not going to the World Cup and I don't want that to happen again.

"I believe that if I am playing, I have got a real chance of going to the Euros. But I'm going to bide my time. I'm 29. I know that the reason I have been left out of the last few England squads is that I have not been starting for my club.

"Darren Bent has been playing regularly for Aston Villa and Danny Welbeck has been playing for Manchester United. So they are getting picked ahead of me."

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