Spurs told to double bid for Reid

14 April 2012

Tottenham acting manager David Pleat tried to off-load talented youngster Rohan Ricketts in a bid to sign Nottingham Forest's Andy Reid.

Forest manager Joe Kinnear, a former Spurs full-back, today confirmed that the Londoners were prepared to offer Ricketts as part of a £5million-plus deal for the highly-rated winger.

Dean Marney, Johnnie Jackson and Stephen Kelly have all come through the ranks since Pleat took over as caretaker boss following the dismissal of Glenn Hoddle last September but Ricketts has been frozen out under him and the White Hart Lane crowd favourite has only just returned to the firstteam fold.

Pleat, who admitted his side are in a relegation dogfight after Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Bolton, offered Ricketts to Forest in a bid to bring Reid to the club. But Kinnear has warned Spurs it will cost them £10m to land the Republic of Ireland international.

Spurs made their original bid in the January transfer window before Paul Hart was sacked and Kinnear installed as his replacement.

Kinnear said: "Spurs tabled a bid before I arrived as manager so I phoned David Pleat to ask what the score was - and it was £5m plus Ricketts. £5m? If Reidy were to go we'd be looking for more than that. At his young age he's got to be up there at £10m."

Spurs also look to have lost the race for PSV's Mark van Bommel despite the player insisting he was ready to hold talks with the club this week. Aston Villa are today understood to have agreed a fee for the Dutchman.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce has warned Spurs about the task facing them as they prepare for difficult games against champions elect Arsenal and Champions League-chasing Aston Villa.

He said: "Spurs need one more win to make them safe and it's up to David Pleat to sort out whether his players are capable of fighting their way out.

"It's a very nervous time for them and they have had to live with that for far too long now. There comes a time in your life when, as a player or a manager, you get used to the pressure that comes with playing at the bottom end of the table.

"You learn to cope and live with it because it becomes the reality of trying to compete for a club like ours. But clubs like Tottenham and Manchester City are not accustomed to having to fight at the bottom of the table. It's strange to them and their players can feel the pressure even more."

Spurs fans again chanted "We want Pleat out" as their team stumbled to their 18th league defeat of the season and they have now not won in six games.

Ivan Campo put Bolton in front in the first half before Anthony Gardner gifted Henrik Pedersen a goal after the break. Pleat said: "It wasn't comfortable for me to watch and the players have to believe they are now in a dogfight.

"The players have got to give a performance because every game we are being judged as a group. We have got into a slide and two mistakes have cost us the game.

"We have a big challenge on now and some of our young players are showing a lack of confidence. We'll have to be much better against Arsenal next week. "

Skipper Jamie Redknapp, who was substituted in the second half, knows that Spurs fans fear Arsenal winning the title at White Hart Lane on Sunday - as they did in 1971.

Redknapp said: "As Spurs players, we don't want Arsenal to win the league at our ground, so we've got to ensure we are up for the fight. To stop them winning the title at White Hart Lane will give something back to our fans for the season we've had."

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Spurs told to double bid for Reid

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