Spurs turn to yoga to solve injury problems

Harry Redknapp has started yoga and pilates classes for the entire first team in a desperate bid to improve the fitness of his squad.

The new instructor at the club is the same one that goalkeeper Brad Friedel has been taking classes from for nine years.

It may sound comical, but Redknapp has revealed that he really enjoys exercise.

'It's fantastic. We have been getting in to doing the yoga and I think pilates is just an amazing thing,' said Redknapp.

'It's great for the players. They are all doing it now. Brad Friedel started it here. He brought a lady in to start doing the yoga and if it's good enough for Brad with the shape he's in at 40, then it's good enough for the rest of us.

'It's brilliant. It makes the players more supple. Ryan Giggs is in to it, big time. It certainly has kept him in good shape.

'I joined in last week with all the coaches. I couldn't walk for two days but other than that it was good.'

Young full back Danny Rose claims that the squad are enjoying their classes and that it has helped him recover from ankle and thigh injuries.

'We have these yoga gurus coming in once a week. It's all right.

'I'd take yoga and pilates over running up and down hills any day.'

Despite these desperate measures, Redknapp has only two central defenders fit for the Europa League clash against Rubin Kazan, with Ledley King, Micheal Dawson, William Gallas and Vedran Corluka all out injured.

'We are really down to two central defenders," he said.

'The problem is that we have no one who will be back fit at the weekend so if one of them gets a knock on Thursday, we will be bang in trouble for Sunday's game against Blackburn.'