Redknapp shares the praise

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:WHEN ONE star shines so brightly, it is easy to squint at the others. Tottenham Hotspur's Champions League triumph over Internazionale on Tuesday was illuminated by Gareth Bale's brilliance yet the underlying theme of an evening when White Hart Lane embraced hedonism and adventure was the unity of Harry Redknapp's squad.

Bale set the post-victory tone by highlighting the contribution of Aaron Lennon on the opposite flank. Peter Crouch, who scored the second goal in the 3-1 victory, carefully divided his praise between Bale and Lennon while there was credit, too, for Benoit Assou-Ekotto, the left-back, who dug in wholeheartedly behind Bale.

Redknapp took it a step further. After the manager had name-checked the goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini and central defenders William Gallas and Younes Kaboul, he turned his attentions to the non-playing substitutes. One of the game’s memorable images came after Cudicini made a finger-tip save from Wesley Sneijder’s 43rd-minute free-kick. As one, the Tottenham substitutes leapt up off the bench, as though they were celebrating a goal.

“I think what was important,” Redknapp said, “or what is important on every night at any football club, is that you have people like Robbie Keane, who didn’t get on, but in the dressingroom he was fantastic – before the game, at half-time and at the end of the game. When you have a bit of spirit in your camp, you have a chance.”

It is not unusual to hear a footballer say “there are some great lads” in the dressingroom yet Tottenham’s togetherness has substance. Take Luka Modric, the pick of the support cast against Inter. He knew he was a target for Manchester United and Chelsea last season yet chose to commit to a six-year contract. Qualification to the Champions League play-off round had been secured and, like many of his team-mates, Modric was excited.

“I think I can achieve everything with Tottenham and that is why I stayed and signed a six-year contract,” Modric said. “I think all the players are thinking the same, not only Bale, but everyone. Tottenham is big enough for every player here. We all have long-term contracts and that is definitely a good thing for the club. It gives you stability. It’s a good group and there is a great atmosphere in the team. We just need to keep going.”

How far Spurs can go is the tantalising question. Redknapp’s men have showed they can rip into any team at White Hart Lane and if they win their next tie, at home to Werder Bremen, they would stride towards the last 16. Tottenham’s exuberance and fearlessness is contagious.

“If we play like we did against Inter, there is no reason to fear anyone,” Modric said.

Yesterday Bale was determined not to get carried away with his new superstar status after waking to find himself one of the most talked about players on the planet.

The Tottenham winger’s performance against Inter Milan made headlines across Europe, while he surely can never have experienced the kind of media scrum that greeted him at an event in central London yesterday afternoon.

But the unassuming 21-year-old from Cardiff appeared to take it all in his stride in exactly the same manner as he did in repeatedly galloping past the hapless Inter defence yesterday.

“It’s obviously nice to get people talking about you, saying nice things,” said Bale. “But I know I have to keep working hard and keep improving and that’s all I want to do.”

That has become something of a mantra for Bale, who is as normal off the pitch as he is extraordinary on it. As his performances have become more and more jaw-dropping – capped by a hat-trick and two assists in two games against Inter – the Wales star has found himself having to answer the same questions over and over again.

He was asked the usual one yesterday about speculation linking him with a move away from White Hart Lane, unsurprisingly giving his stock response. “I don’t take too much notice of it,” he said.

Redknapp insisted Bale is not for sale – and says a bid of €35 million wouldn’t be enough to prise him away.

“If he had a value, if we wanted to sell him, his value would be way in excess of that sort of figure.

“He really is an amazing young player. We wouldn’t even entertain a bid. The chairman has said he’s not for sale and that’s good enough. We don’t want to sell him and we’re looking to build a team at Tottenham. We’re a club that’s going places.”

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