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Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is set to punish players involved in
a Christmas party organised behind his back last week and Robbie
Keane's role as skipper could be under scrutiny.
Redknapp was furious to learn about reports of 16 of his
squad travelling to Dublin days before he insisted they would not
be allowed to celebrate excessively during the festive period.
The Spurs boss will wait until after this weekend's Premier
League trip to Blackburn before deciding what action to take.
"It was wrong and it will be dealt with. Severely. It will be
dealt with," Redknapp insisted.
"It's being dealt with internally and we'll keep it in-house.
I will be dealing with it after the weekend. We've got a game to
concentrate on - we'll sort the game out, then I'll sort them out.
Believe you me, it will get sorted out.
"I'm not happy, I'd be lying if I said I was happy. I didn't
know anything about the trip at all if I'm perfectly truthful but
it's done now and will be dealt with on Monday morning."
Keane was said to have orchestrated the trip near to Dublin,
so Redknapp is likely to take a dim view if that is the case.
Keane could find himself on the bench at Ewood Park as Peter
Crouch and Jermain Defoe combined well during the defeat of
Manchester City on Wednesday.
Redknapp did select Keane for the defeat to Wolves - four
days after the Christmas party.
"It was the Tuesday and didn't affect the result against
Wolves, we worked our socks off, but it doesn't make it right,"
Redknapp added.
Redknapp has taken a strong anti-alcohol stance, particularly
after Ledley King's arrest outside a London nightclub, and believes
Christmas parties should not be on the agenda.
"They are my views on it," he said.
"They are more trouble than they are worth and it happens at
every football club unfortunately. Every club has had problems with
it."
The news of the party has overshadowed the way Spurs bounced
back from defeat to Wolves with their performance against City,
which Redknapp rated as their finest of the season.
Redknapp has also been boosted by King returning to training
after a freak accident during a practice match that saw him injure
his knee. The centre-back could play one of Spurs' two games over
Christmas.
"He's a great player," Redknapp said. "We need him back and
fit playing and he could play one game over Christmas."
Luka Modric, however, has suffered a setback in his recovery
from a fractured fibula and has needed treatment on an ankle
complaint, ruling him out of the Blackburn trip.
Redknapp is hoping to maintain Spurs' hopes of breaking into
the Champions League.
He added: "Everyone has thrown silly points away. Had we not
thrown away home games that we were not expected to lose, we could
have been sitting there a couple of points off the top. It is that
open.
"But Blackburn is not an easy game. They should have beaten
Liverpool recently, I went to the game. Sam Allardyce is a good
manager and they know what they are doing for sure."
Aaron Lennon has been in great form for Spurs and such is the
progress at White Hart Lane this season, Redknapp feels they would
be able to keep the England winger at the club if there is interest
from so-called bigger teams.
"Tottenham is a big boy," Redknapp said.
"Man United have (Antonio) Valencia who they got in the
summer so they don't need a right-winger. This is a big club.
"He's still learning the game and getting better and better.
He can still keep improving.
"He is a fantastic talent but knows himself he is not the
finished article. There is still a long way to go but he's getting
there."
Redknapp is in the market for a central midfielder in January
and could also look at a back-up goalkeeper while Carlo Cudicini
recovers from injuries sustained in a motorbike accident - but he
has ruled out a move for Stipe Pletikosa from Spartak Moscow.
Pletikosa is also on the sidelines through injury and isn't
expected to be fit until February.
"He's way off, months away from being fit," said Redknapp.
"He won't be fit for January. Ben Alnwick has been in
terrific form. Jimmy Walker is a terrific professional so we have
back-up and Gomes has been in great form."
