UEFA bid puts Spurs tour in doubt

14 April 2012

Tottenham could be forced to abandon a lucrative pre-season trip to Korea if they win a place in the UEFA Cup this weekend.

The club were today in discussions over a contingency plan in the event of qualifying for next season's competition through Sunday's Fair Play draw.

If Spurs are one of the two clubs selected, they will enter the first qualifying round on 14 July. That clashes with the eight-team Peace Cup in Korea, starting a day later.

Spurs are anxious to boost their fanbase in Asia and were set to be generously rewarded by sponsors for their involvement in the Peace Cup. A late withdrawal would also be a headache for competition organisers as Spurs were due to play in a three-game mini-league.

The club had previously turned down another route into the UEFA Cup via the Intertoto Cup amid fears their players would face burn out.

The extra games could have an impact on Frank Arnesen's recruitment policy this summer, forcing the sporting director to sign more players than previously planned.

Spurs had initially thought the Fair Play place would have seen them bypass the qualifying round and not play their first UEFA Cup match until September.

The Fair Play draw takes place on Sunday, when Spurs will join German club Mainz, Hammarby of Sweden, Estonia's Tulevik Viljandi and Young Boys of Switzerland in the hat. A Danish side has yet to be chosen to enter the draw and Norway's Viking Stavanger have an automatic place.

Meanwhile, former Spurs star Sol Campbell has eased fears he might miss the start of pre-season training with Arsenal after a scan on his twisted ankle showed there was no ligament damage.

The defender, who missed much of last season with ankle problems, feared the worst when he was injured during England's 2-1 win over the United States in Chicago on Saturday. But Campbell-said: "I've had a scan and there is no ligament damage, nothing like that. It is really just a bad twist. There will be no operation, and it's not the same ankle I've had the problems with before. I'm relieved.

"Now it's just a matter of getting the fluid away and it will be no more than two or three weeks before it's fine. I'll be back and flying for pre-season training."

Campbell's injuries cost him his starting place in the Arsenal side to 20- year- old Switzerland defender Philippe Senderos, who is keen to extend his contract.

Senderos expects to sign a deal which will keep him at Arsenal until 2010. "I would love to," he said. "I'm very happy at the club."

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