Carr: It’s time for us to earn our spurs by getting into European action

STEPHEN CARR admits it is high time Tottenham lived up to expectations.

Wing-back Carr insists the only way Glenn Hoddle's men can prove they have made material progress this season is by qualifying for Europe.

Tottenham slipped to eighth place in the Premiership after Charlton's win on Saturday. Now a home victory over Fulham tonight has become even more crucial for Spurs with Hoddle refusing to set his sights lower than a top-six finish to ensure UEFA Cup football next term.

Carr said: "This squad at Spurs looks capable on paper but you don't want a team that looks capable and then doesn't do it."

Spurs, top of the table in September, have produced some irresistible football this season but Carr said, "I think you are only looked upon as one of the better teams if you win something or do something like qualifying for Europe.

"There is no point in us missing out on Europe again and people still saying we've got a good team with good players coming through. We know that already.

"It is certainly one of the best squads now than for several seasons but we have to match the really top squads of the past to prove we are up there with them. We can only do that now by qualifying for Europe."

Hoddle realises material success has to be achieved to keep Carr, a Spurs professional since 1993, and other top stars at Tottenham.

The worst-case scenario is seeing major players join bigger teams like Manchester United or Arsenal and follow in the footsteps of Teddy Sheringham and Sol Campbell did.

The days are long gone when a move from Spurs was always considered a step down but Hoddle never imagined he could come in straight away and lift the club as if with a magic wand.

He said: "We've always said it is a long-term job here and the main thing is to improve season by season. I am under no more pressure to get us into Europe now than I was at the start of the season, but that is the target now and we are on course for it - although no more than that.

"We have to make sure we are still in a position in April where we have a good shout for a UEFA cup place.

"I believe we will need to finish at least sixth, though, to get there. Another Arsenal-Chelsea FA Cup final might have freed up an extra place but that is not going to happen now.

"Sadly, we have not had many cup ties this season but it means we've been able to take a few breaks which is important at this stage.

"Monday will be our first game for 16 days while Fulham have had two tough matches last week. That should be our advantage.

"Having said that, I think we would have preferred to go straight back into action after beating Sunderland 4-1 at home in our last match."

The 16-day gap gave Hoddle the consoling thought that £7million striker Robbie Keane might recover from a knee injury in time to help avenge Spurs 3-2 defeat at Fulham who came back from 2-0 down in September.

But that hope has been dashed and Keane will also miss Saturday's trip to West Ham, although Hoddle has dismissed speculation of a six-week absence as "way wide of the mark".

Gary Doherty looks favourite to take his place although, fit-again Matthew Etherington and Milenko Acimovic are also contenders for starting roles.

That still leaves Hoddle without five other injured first-team players Jamie Redknapp, Christian Ziege, Chris Perry, Anthony Gardner and Steffen Iversen.

Germany international Ziege is now confident of playing again before the end of the season despite two emergency operations on a thigh muscle.