Freund pleased by depth

Tottenham assistant Steffen Freund says the frustrated youngsters at the club will have to wait their turn for first-team action.

Andre Villas-Boas’ men are third in the English Premier League and have a host of experienced international players returning from injury, which has restricted the chances of some of their home-grown contingent.

Midfielder Jake Livermore, who won his first England cap against Italy in August, has only made three substitute appearances for Tottenham since October.

“We finished fourth twice and fifth,” Freund told the Tottenham Journal.

“We are one of the top teams in England and we are third at the moment. You have to be patient as that is part of being a big, strong football club in the Premier League.

“We have a really strong squad now. We have a lot of players who have been on the bench who deserve to start and they are really good players.

“Benoit Assou-Ekotto is coming back after an injury, Scott Parker is back and I think we have a far better situation now.”