Jermain Defoe is confident he will be able to prove his worth in the Tottenham team when he returns.
Spurs forward confident of November comeback
Jermain Defoe is confident he will be able to prove his worth in the Tottenham team when he returns from injury later this month.
The Spurs frontman has been sidelined since suffering ankle ligament damage whilst on international duty for England against Switzerland in September.
First fears suggested the 28-year-old would be out for three months but he hopes to make his comeback in just a few weeks - targeting either the clash with Blackburn or the North London derby against Arsenal.
With Tottenham performing so well in his absence, Defoe faces a fight to get back into the team but is working hard to prove his worth.
He told
Sky Sports: "I'm confident I can get back to my best and get my goals like I do.
"I've been working hard. It was a funny injury because it's ankle ligaments and you've got to let it take time to heal and strengthen.
"All I've got to do now is my twisting and turning (training) and hopefully it will be a couple of weeks.
"At the minute I just want to get back in - the lads are doing great. The club's buzzing, it's a great time to be at the football club and I just want to do all I can and make sure when I come back in I'm really strong."
Asked if he could return against Rovers on 13th November, he added: "Maybe that's pushing it a bit. I don't want to get back and fool everyone and get the injury again.
"I don't think that will happen to be honest because the operation went well and my ankle feels really strong.
"Hopefully it's all right. I've had no pain which is surprising with the injury I've had.
"I feel strong, my legs feel strong and we're doing a lot of work in the gym. I know when I come back I should be fine but maybe the 13th would be pushing it, we'll see."
Spurs have coped well without Defoe leading the line and this has been in no small part down to the form of Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart and man of the moment Gareth Bale.
Scalp
Harry Redknapp's side dismantled European champions Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night, and sit fifth in the Premier League.
Bale's form has dominated the headlines since he tore apart the Nerazzurri earlier in the week and Defoe admits the Welshman is flying high.
"We always knew the potential was there. Even for a young boy at Southampton he was unbelievable and now he's showing it on the world stage," he added.
"It helps when you're playing with quality players. Credit to the club - to the chairman and the manager - for the players who they've brought in.
"He's playing with quality players and as an individual and as a professional that's only going to improve you.
"It's important that you play with good players because that improves your game. He's certainly improving."
