Johnny plays at right back which is a shame because that’s the one area where Spurs really don’t need any reinforcements. I’d have liked to have a seen another member of the Palacios family at The Lane .

Palacios Junior has recently broken into the Honduras first team becoming the fourth member of his family to represent their country.

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

Left footers Diego Capel and Hatem Ben Arfa have both been  linked recently but do Spurs need them? With the alarming dip in penetration and creativity in the Tottenham side since the injury to Luka Modric, it is highly tempting to say yes. But that would ignore the fact that Gio Dos Santos has also been out injured for the duration of Modric’s absence and that Niko Kranjcar is only just beginning to show signs of settling properly in the side.  With Modric due for a return to action in Tottenham’s next match against Wigan and Dos Santos due back shortly, is this knee-jerk stuff from the press? And would the raw talents of Ben Arfa and Capel offer anything that we don’t already have?

The need for another ball winning central midfielder however is an entirely different story and an intriguing one too. Harry Redknapp has gone on record with his admiration for both Sulley Muntari and Sandro this season. And with Wilson Palacios the only other ball winner in the Spurs squad, you can see why. However, there are complications with both transfers; Muntari  isn’t too chuffed about turning his back on the guaranteed medals on offer at Inter this year and the Sandro waters are being muddied by a pesky Tevez style third party ownership scenario.

A few months back there were strong murmurs on the boards about one Miguel Veloso turning up at The Lane. An outrageously good player with equally outrageous off field problems, Veloso is a proper ‘Arry signing.  Villa and Bolton are the other teams to have been linked with him recently and so he’s probably gettable. If the Muntari and Sandro deals fall through, don’t be surprised to see a Spurs move for Veloso.

Whatever happens, it should be a fun month in January. I want a top-notch central defender though. Thoughts on who?

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

I’m so happy for Wilson and for Honduras. Wilson deserved it, not only because he’s a great player but because of the nastiness with his brother earlier this year. And Honduras as a nation have suffered horribly with a military coup and all of the crap that comes with it; Marshall law, curfews and violence.

The interim Honduran president has called a national holiday to celebrate as the nation forgets its woes and moves into party mode. Don’t expect Wilson to be in any shape for Portsmouth this weekend!

Lots of Spurs fans have this crazy idea that we shouldn’t want to see our players at the World Cup because it puts them in the shop window. How insecure and selfish can you get!

I can’t wait to see Wilson stomping over the midfield in SA come June.

COYS

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

Lots of Spurs players are in action this weekend and in mid-week in some vital World Cup Qualifiers. The company that are running the Ukraine Vs England match are also running loads of other matches, but much cheaper.

Wales have a host of injury problems and so Gareth Bale is expected to play on the left wing against a decent Finland side. Sign up for that match here.

Much will be expected of Wilson Palacios as Honduras face El Salvador away in a crazy atmosphere for a match that will determine whether or not we’ll be seeing ‘The General’ at next summer’s World Cup. That match takes place next Wednesday and you can sign up for it here. (This one is more expensive though).

Robbie Keane will be carrying the hopes of Ireland as they face up to Italy tomorrow. Sign up for that here.

Croatian pair Niko Kranjcar and Vedran Corluka (who both impressed last night) will be lining up in a crunch match for them away to Kazakhstan (in England’s group of course). Sign up for that match here.

Russia are playing Germany in Moscow and Roman Pavlyuchenko will be looking to prove Harry Redknapp wrong by playing a blinder for them. Sign up for that match here.

And of course you can sign up to watch England and hopefully Aaron Lennon play against Ukraine. The price goes up the closer to kick off so sign up now.

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

If you’re going to watch  Ukraine Vs England Online…  It gets more expensive the longer you wait to pay. Click here to get it cheaper.

Here’s Gio Dos Santos talking about Wilson Palacios’ Honduras making it to the World Cup.

“I hope Wilson makes it. He’s my friend and I want the best for him.

“Honduras have some very good players. They have been doing well in the qualification and they need four points from their two games to make it to the World Cup.

“They can do it but they have two difficult games and the first one is against the USA. That will be a massive game but if they win it, I think they will be in the World Cup.

“Wilson is a big player for them and if Honduras make it to South Africa I will be so happy for him.”

“We need one win and we play El Salvador at home on Saturday, so that would be perfect.”

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

Gio Dos Santos has told us that he wants to stay and fight for his place at Tottenham. He told Spurs official site:

“I think the coach knows I’m a good player and I want to do well for Tottenham. I came here to play, I love the fans and they’ve always supported me and I have everything here.”

This is great news, he’s obviously got something and Redknapp seems to be managing him well. Maybe he needed knocking down a few pegs last season after coming in from Barcelona?

Roman Pavlyuchenko however looks like he’s off back to Russia with Zenit sniffing around and a bid of £12m reportedly in the offing. He’s just at the wrong stage of his career for a battle of the magnitude of that facing him if he wants to get into the Spurs team. Pity, but that’s life.

Sport.co.uk yesterday revealed that Sulley Muntari’s agent is in talks with Spurs and Inter about the Ghanaian moving to The Lane.

I can’t believe the negativity around about this guy coming to Spurs.  Yes he’s not wanted by Inter but that doesn’t make him automatically pap. He was top notch at Portsmouth and has been brilliant at times for Inter too. He had a spat with Mourinho about Ramadan fasting earlier in the season and has since been used sporadically. His dodgy situation at Inter smacks  of a personal problem between him and Jose, not a football one.  Also, he’s not a left winger as many have been saying he is! He can play there but his main position is central midfield. Muntari would act as a partner for Palacios or a replacement if Wilson gets injured. He’d also provide some proper competition for Jermain Jenas – if Mr Marmite is still at the club.

If you didn’t catch it yesterday, here’s a great video of Muntari showing off his tackling, shooting and passing.

When Muntari was being linked with Spurs over the summer, it was in a swap deal for Jenas. We all know about Mourinho’s respect for Jermain. Could this be what’s on the cards?

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures -- Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

“One or two players have made a difference here. Wilson Palacios has made a massive impact on this club – he gets on with it. He’s strong, aggressive and a big player for us.

“Sebastien Bassong has come in alongside the likes of Ledley King, Michael Dawson, Jonathan Woodgate, while Robbie Keane’s back and he’s a buzzy character around the place.

“We’ve brought a few players in and it has changed the mood. They see the likes of Wilson come in who work and close down and it rubs off on other people.

“You need players like that. He walks round like he’s pleased to be here and appreciates everything. He’s not a big-time Charlie. You need more people like that around you.”

“Niko[Kranjcar] is a player with great ability; a very good footballer. He can play in several positions – on the left, the right or in the middle, or even off the front man.

“He’s just a terrific footballer, great on the ball, he’s got everything to be a top player for us.”

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures – Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

Stephen Appiah, the Ghanian international who had trials with Spurs last year, could be on his way to Catania after the General Manager of the Seria A side Pietro Lo Monaco declared his interest in the player:

“Appiah? Of course, if he’s [physically] good we would buy him at once,” he told Itasportpress.

“He would not only be a good signing for Catania, but I think he could still play for any of the other 19 teams in Serie A.

“I don’t know how he is now and if he has overcome his physical problems but I can say with certainty that Appiah is a great talent.”

Appiah shot to fame with Juventus as a powerhouse midfielder with an outstanding shot and the ability to truly dominate the midfield. But he has been without a club since he left Fenerbahce last year having endured a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a serious knee injury and a subsequent law suit by the Turkish club which banned Appiah from signing for anyone else due to a contractual dispute.

Should Spurs move in for Appiah again if he is over his fitness problems? As a free agent, he could come in now and provide that cover for Palacios that many Spurs fans feel is missing from the squad.

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures -- Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)

• VIDEO: Best of Harry Redknapp interviews including loads of Effing and Blinding (2 Comments)
• Redknapp explains Keane and Hutton departures -- Both still have Spurs futures (30 Comments)
• Veloso To Spurs? Agent: “We Will See Soon”… (10 Comments)
• Begovic Deal Back On? (4 Comments)
• Frantic Dash To Seal £10m Striker Switch (8 Comments)