Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas has backed defender http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Michael-Dawson-c25288 to fight his way back into the Spurs starting 11, and expects the player to come good this season.
The http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Rangers-c40314 and Sunderland reported to be interested in the central defender.
Villas-Boas had said last month that he was satisfied with his central defensive players and felt that http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Michael-c25261 Dawson would be unable to break into the first team. This was a surprising statement; the player had only recently been handed over the captaincy
in the wake of Ledley King’s retirement during Spurs’ pre-season tour of the US.
It came as a surprise to many when Villas-Boas revealed the player could leave the club subject to offers by interested parties. QPR had reportedly placed a bid for the England international, but nothing materialized.
The Portuguese manager had hailed Dawson’s ability and stressed that he was only considering offloading the player because of the handful of defenders he had at his disposal. Villas-Boas claimed that Dawson was a victim of competition for starting spots
in the first 11, and that his ability as a defender was not in doubt.
However, an injury to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Younes-Kaboul-c37543, which rules out the first choice central defender for a few months, forced Villas-Boas to reconsider his stance on Dawson. The defender may now be needed by the club, and is expected to make his claim for a place in the
starting eleven.
Dawson has http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jan-Vertonghen-c17814 and Steven Caulker ahead of him in the pecking order. Villas-Boas expects the player to fight for his place in the squad, and is confident that the 28-year old will be successful in doing so.
"We have chatted. There is extreme competition for that central defence position," the Portuguese manager told reporters.
"Younes' operation will take him out for three to four months and it is up to Michael to compete.”
"I'm sure he will come good. He is an extremely good professional and a club captain. He is looking forward to getting back into the team."
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