Mbulelo comes out of his shell

Richards said: “He has come into the club and is a very shy lad. He tends to keep himself to himself. But the lads do try to keep him involved, although it is a different culture for him.

“He is starting to adapt now and feel more at home. He has got a place over here and is going round with a few of the lads, so hopefully he is feeling a little bit more welcome.”

Spurs striker Robbie Keane added: “It has taken him a while to settle in. But he has come on in the last few weeks — he has looked sharp in training, and what a great goal.”

Keane was full of admiration for the way Pleat has helped to turn the club’s fortunes around since taking over on a temporary basis from the sacked Glenn Hoddle.

This was Spurs’ first away victory in the Premiership this season, and Keane would not be upset at all if Pleat was made the club’s new manager.

“He’s done a good job — he knows what he wants from the players and the players know what they want from him,” said Keane. “If he gets the job, all well and good — this was an important win.”

It certainly was but Spurs looked lethargic for long periods, and Keller’s 38th-minute blunder against his former club looked to have condemned Pleat to his first defeat as temporary boss since taking over from Hoddle.

The American goalkeeper was so relieved to see his team-mates get him out of trouble in the second half. Keller said: “I can’t explain how it happened. It was one of things that you have to hold your hand up and say sorry
about.

“There was a weekend of goalkeeping errors but I’m just grateful that I’m one of the group who ended up on a winning side. I held my hand up at half-time but the lads responded brilliantly.” Pleat is enjoying life without the pressures of full-time management. “We were fortunate to come in at half-time just one goal behind,” he said. “But in football you have lucky spells — next week we could be unlucky.

“I’m enjoying being caretaker boss because you don’t feel as intense about the situation as if you were full-time. Some days managing is lovely but it’s horrible when you lose.”