Trap door shuts on Spurs

Giovanni Trapattoni today officially ruled himself out of the running for the Tottenham job.

Trapattoni pulled out of the race to become Glenn Hoddle's successor because his wife is suffering from a serious illness.

Spurs have been told by Trapattoni's advisors that he no longer wishes to be considered for the post. The Italy coach was understood to have given Spurs a verbal agreement that he would take over as the club's new manager after Euro 2004 this summer.

However, his wife's illness has forced Trapattoni to reconsider his position.

The Italian became Spurs' No 1 target after they realised it would difficult to lure Martin O'Neill to the club. The Celtic boss was their initial choice to succeed Hoddle but Spurs soon turned to the man nicknamed The Trap.

Trapattoni was excited by the prospect of turning Spurs into a major force again but feels he cannot move abroad while his wife remains ill. Roberto Mancini, Carlos Queiroz, Mark Hughes and Peter Taylor remain in the frame for the Spurs post.

Meanwhile, chairman Daniel Levy today ended the 12-year Spurs career of Darren Anderton as the club axed six players. Spurs also handed skipper Jamie Redknapp a further one-year contract after reaching a compromise over his contractual situation.

Redknapp was entitled to a two-year extension if he had completed a certain number of games this season. The player has suffered from injuries in the last two seasons and the club compromised by agreeing to offer him a one-year extension instead of a two-year one.