Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp does not want to sell Robbie Keane
but has hinted at changes in his forward line if Manchester City
are willing to sell Craig Bellamy.
Keane was said to have orchestrated the secret Christmas
party that angered Redknapp and led to a donation to charity from
the players involved - but the Spurs boss did not consider taking
the captaincy away from the Irishman.
"Robbie is the captain and that wasn't going to change,"
Redknapp said. "Not a chance, and it never, ever entered my mind, I
was never going to change it."
Keane has a healthy return of eight goals this season but
Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch have been Redknapp's preferred
choice in attack as Spurs have bounced back from defeat at Wolves
with consecutive Barclays Premier League wins.
Celtic have also been linked with a move for the 29-year-old
but Redknapp said: "I don't want to sell Robbie, there's not too
many Robbie Keanes about in the game. He has enthusiasm and
knowledge, a lot of things that he brings into the game so he's
certainly not a player we'd want to lose.
"He's still a big part, very much so. When we brought him
here it coincided with a terrific run we had last year. He came and
gave the place a real lift, and it's been the same this year."
Redknapp is not expecting radical changes at White Hart Lane
when the January transfer window opens, although Roman Pavlyuchenko
and David Bentley want to leave the club to get regular football.
The Spurs boss is a huge admirer of Bellamy and would be
interested if the Wales striker became available in an Eastlands
shake-up following the appointment of Roberto Mancini.
"He's a good player," Redknapp said. "He belongs to
Manchester City, I'm sure they wouldn't want to sell him. I tried
to sign him before he went there.
"It's like asking me if I'm interested in Wayne Rooney, of
course I love Wayne Rooney, but I won't get him, will I?"
Redknapp will also make a decision on whether to extend Jamie
O'Hara's loan spell at Portsmouth, with Avram Grant looking to keep
the midfielder at Fratton Park.
"We haven't decided yet," Redknapp said. "I'll speak to the
chairman and Portsmouth. He's a great lad and wants to play so
we'll wait and see.
"I'm sure he'll want to stay, he's really done a good job for
them, had a couple of player-of-the-month awards. He may feel if he
comes back he won't play every week so we'll have to wait and see."
Ahead of the Boxing Day trip to Fulham, Redknapp could have
Ledley King back from a hamstring problem, while Luka Modric is
ready for action after an ankle injury during his comeback from a
fractured fibula.
Alan Hutton has a foot problem and fellow right-back Vedran
Corluka will need checking after an illness.
