Redknapp Will Not Sweat Over Woodgate Future
Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp says that if defender Jonathan Woodgate is not fit within the next month, there's a good chance he won't play for the Spurs this season.
Woodgate is a top quality defender who has seen his career hampered by constant and niggling injuries. These injuries have stopped him from having extended runs in any side.
Redknapp is currently seeing a few players come back to the club looking to improve their physical condition ahead of the new season. He has said that if Woodgate wants to feature early on then he has to try and play in some of the club's pre-season friendlies.
A fit Woodgate would make the Spurs defence a lot stronger but the problem is that the club cannot rush him back. It's important to consider what it would mean for the team if he can get back into the side and also what the future holds for the player if he cannot.
A Fit Player
Jonathan Woodgate is not a bad central defender by any means. He has enjoyed some very high points during his career, which include playing for Real Madrid and representing England at an international level.
If he is fit then the Spurs will have an extra leader in the defence. This will allow them to pull together tightly and limit the number of gaps and chances for the opposition to break through and score a goal.
He is quick and times his tackles very well. He also plays well in big games and this has been evident during his various moves between Premier League clubs. This is nothing to do with his personality, he moves around a great deal because he is injured quite a lot of the time.
Redknapp said: "He has got to come back and play. If he is not ready for the start of the season it will be difficult for him. When he gets his boots on and starts playing hopefully he will be all right - He is a fantastic player, one of the best centre-halves around. We just take it day by day with him and see how he progresses."
The Future
The reason why it's important to look at Woodgate's future is because Spurs already have some very good players who hold the central defence positions at this moment in time. This means the club have learnt to cope without him and could suggest that Redknapp may one day lose patience.
However, if this does happen then there will be a number of clubs who will probably be happy to take the risk and put Woodgate on a long contract. Do not lose sight of reality because it does not look as though this will happen any time soon. If he gets back to full fitness then it's clear, at the moment, that he can still feature in Spurs plans.
Betting Advice
The Spurs defence will have a much better chance of conceding fewer goals with a fit Jonathan Woodgate in the team. Keep track of his progress over the pre-season campaign up to the point where the Premier League season starts.
It's difficult to predict how Tottenham are going to play but Woodgate would make the defence a lot more compact and difficult to get through. He will increase their chances of winning if he takes his place in the side during an early part of the season. If he does play in pre-season then this will give a very good indication of his form and confidence.
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