"Do you want to hear the most recent joke in London? It goes: Harry Redknapp put Roman Pavlyuchenko in the starting line-up. For me it would be funny if it was not so painful. I have a feeling that our manager is mocking me."

He continued: "On the eve of the Carling Cup match [against Manchester United, December 1] he asked me to come to see him. He said: 'Tomorrow will be a chance to show your best in front of 75,000 spectators. We need to use it'.

"He used it by keeping me on the bench for the whole 90 minutes."

Pavlyuchenko was most recently linked with a loan move to Sporting Lisbon. The player's agent, Oleg Artemov, though, has quelled suggestions of a temporary transfer.

"Tottenham are prepared to negotiate selling Roman but they do not agree even to consider a loan deal."

By Alan Dawson

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