• Premier League

Five more wins gets Champions League - Redknapp

ESPN staff
April 1, 2012

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp praised his team following their 3-1 win over Swansea, before claiming five more victories would secure Champions League football for the north London club.

Spurs defeated Swansea thanks to goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Emmanuel Adebayor, lifting them five points clear of fifth-place Chelsea.

Redknapp said: "I would take five [wins] now. If we get five we will have Champions League football next year I'm sure of that. It is hard to call where the results are going to come and who against and that is what makes it interesting.

"We would love to get third - I would love to finish above Arsenal if I can. If we get Champions League football we will all be delighted again. That is the key really, that is what we want - Champions League football next year at Tottenham.''

Spurs have been praised for their attacking prowess under Redknapp but the former West Ham boss was delighted his players stuck to the gameplan which had been prepared ahead of Swansea's visit.

"We did exactly what I asked us to do,'' he said. "We pressed them all over the park and it is hard work - If you are going to stop Swansea playing it is hard work. It was the other side of the game that you don't always associate with Tottenham perhaps.

"We come here and outplay teams but we knew today we had to stop them playing first and foremost and once we did that I felt we completely dominated the first half.''

The win was Spurs' first in six league games but Redknapp denied he had been contemplating the poor run of form his side had been on. "I don't worry about that, I don't go home at night thinking we have not won for five games," Redknapp said.

"I just know we have been playing well and we have been playing well every week. We played great at Chelsea last week, fantastically at Bolton in midweek and played great against Manchester United.''

With Redknapp still favourite for the England manager's job, there has been speculation this week linking Swansea's Brendan Rodgers with the Tottenham hot-seat - and the current incumbent is a huge fan of Rodgers' managerial qualities.

Redknapp said of his Swansea counterpart: "I can't speak highly enough of the job he has done there. In this country if all the youth teams and kids teams tried to play like they play...that is the way to play the game if you want to produce technical footballers.''

Rodgers has been quick to say he is happy at the Liberty Stadium and refused to treat the game as a chance to impress the Spurs hierarchy.

He explained: "I was only pleased we came here and played. We have supporters who are loyal and passionate about their club and spend a fortune travelling to follow us all over the country. For us to perform it was for our own needs to gain points and also for them (the fans). It was certainly no audition for me.''

Swansea could not hold on to the draw but Rodgers was delighted with the efforts of his side. He said: "I thought some of our football today against a top side was outstanding and for large parts of the game we dominated it and obviously we had chances in the game as well.

"There is so much to be proud and pleased about in relation to the performance and when you see a group of British players playing that way it gives you great hope going forward.''

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