Spurs to continue playing youngsters

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has indicated that the younger members of his squad may continue to get playing time in Europe.

After seeing a makeshift Spurs side hold Hearts 0-0 at White Hart Lane to move into the Europa league group stages with a 5-0 aggregate win, Redknapp said he was pleased with the way his team had acquitted themselves on the big stage.

“They did well and it will only improve them coming out from playing youth team football and reserve team football, to step out in front of a big crowd can only do them good,” he told ITV.

When pushed on whether his young players would see further action, Redknapp admitted that with more games to play in Europe he is likely to give them more opportunities.

“We played Monday night at Old Trafford, we played here tonight if I’d have put my full team out then Sunday Man City, every week is going to be like that,” he said.

“You’ve got to be careful, you’ve got to juggle with the squad and it’s going to be a case of playing the kids at times giving them experience see if they can come and do the job.”

The signing of Emmanuel Adebayor on a season-long loan was confirmed shortly before the match and Redknapp insisted he was unlikely to be the last signing Spurs make before the end of the transfer window.

“We’re working hard the chairman is on a couple of transfers at the moment. There’s one or two others in the pipeline and if we can get them they’ll improve us again,” he said.

When pushed on whether Joe Cole could be one of those signings Redknapp had high praise for the English midfielder who he signed for West Ham when the midfielder was 11 years old.

“I love Joe but I haven’t spoke to Kenny [Dalglish] about him. He’s a good player and I still think that we could get him going again. He’s a London boy and I’m sure he’d love to come back to London and play but he belongs to Liverpool at the moment,” he said.