Ramos admits Defoe difficulty

In-form Portsmouth striker up against his former club

Last updated: 26th September 2008

Jermain Defoe left celebrates his second goal with Nadir Belhadj right Pompey v Middlesbrough

Defoe: Spurs clash

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Juande Ramos has admitted he could do little to prevent Jermain Defoe leaving Tottenham for Portsmouth in January.

In-form Defoe will be in action against his former club at Fratton Park on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1 and HD1, having scored five in his last four games.

The England international became frustrated at his lack of opportunities at White Hart Lane, with Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov ahead of him in the pecking order.

But with his former striking rivals having departed for Liverpool and Manchester United over the summer, Defoe could well have secured the regular action he craved had he remained in North London.

Spurs head coach Ramos, who does not expect Defoe to be additionally motivated against his former club, admits the situation with Spurs has now changed.

Important

He said: "There are 22 players on the pitch. They always want to play and win.

"It must be understood that when Defoe was here, Berbatov and Keane were here and it was difficult for him to get minutes on the pitch.

"At this moment the most important striker of the team (last season) is out. When he is gone it is another situation.

"He (Defoe) wanted to play but it was difficult because other strikers were here. His contract was finishing in one year and the club decided (to sell him). This is football. We accept the decision."

Spurs claimed their first domestic victory of the season with a 2-1 Carling Cup win over Newcastle in midweek, but are currently bottom of the Premier League with just two points from five games.

Passion

And Ramos has made his squad fully aware of the dangerous predicament they find themselves in.

Ramos said: "We are playing every three or four days against new teams. It is impossible to think about other teams. I have a lot of work and I only think about Spurs. The situation for us is very difficult.

"Reality is that we are bottom. Maybe in one month we will have moved up a little, in three months maybe more. It is little by little and I am looking in the short term.

"It's very clear. We have had big changes, new players, new positions - all the players need adaptation. We need passion and we need to work very hard, this is what we need."