The Cameroon international moved to White Hart Lane from Lens in 2006 and saw a succession of knee problems blight his early career in England. Having been forced to undergo surgery at one stage, he found himself left in the wilderness for the best part of 18 months. It appeared as though his Premier League dream had become a nightmare, with his route to the first-team blocked at every turn. However, Harry Redknapp's arrival at Spurs coincided with a reversal in fortune for Assou-Ekotto and he is now a mainstay at left full-back. The 26-year-old is enjoying his football again and admits that he would be happy to spend the rest of his career in North London, having recently penned a new five-year deal. "Team spirit here is exceptional under Harry," he told the News of the World. "I want to stay at Spurs for life. "I would have signed for six years! I love playing in the Premier League, it's the best league in the world. Why would I want to play anywhere else?" Assou-Ekotto has also lifted the lid on his 18 months of hell, admitting that he became something of a forgotten man around White Hart Lane. "When you are out for 18 months, people forget about you," he said. "When I eventually returned some of my team-mates did not know who I was. Alan Hutton asked Jermaine Jenas, 'Who's this?' "Nobody remembered me, but it made me hungrier to establish myself as a first-team regular."
