More injury woe for Routledge

Martin Jol has revealed winger Wayne Routledge could be facing up to a further eight weeks on the sidelines with a foot injury.

But Jol feels in youngster Aaron Lennon, Tottenham have a player ready to cause Barclays Premiership defenders just as many problems on the flanks.

Following his protracted move from Crystal Palace during the summer, Routledge has featured just once for Spurs this season after suffering a stress fracture in his foot, but was expected to be sidelined for just a fortnight.

However, Jol admitted the prognosis was not as promising for the 20-year-old as he prepared Spurs for Monday night’s live TV clash with Fulham at White Hart Lane.

“It could take another couple of months,” admitted the Dutchman.

“I always ask the doctor ‘How long will it be?’ and she says ‘maybe two months’, but it’s a difficult injury.

“Players with this injury can be out for a season, so it depends on how quickly he heals.”

In 18-year-old Lennon, though, Jol believes Tottenham signed a real talent.

Spurs paid Leeds £1million for the winger’s services in the summer, and in his brief first-team displays this season, Jol has seen enough to convince him Lennon has the potential to become a major player in the Premiership.

The teenager’s effort at Grimsby in midweek was one of the few plus points Jol was able to take from the shock 1-0 Carling Cup defeat at Blundell Park.

“Aaron Lennon came on the other day and in 10 minutes, he beat his man four times,” recalled the Tottenham head coach, who likened his young winger to Arjen Robben and Ryan Giggs 'on his day'.

“He has got the potential to be a big player, but he has to learn.

“If he can beat someone like he is doing I don’t think there are a lot of players in Europe [who can].

“He is so pacy, the only thing he needs to improve on is the service, high balls or drag backs into the 18-yard box – but he will do that because he is an intelligent boy.”

Jol added: “You have to give him confidence and if he has that confidence, Aaron can do it. It is still early days, though.

“He made his debut [against Liverpool] so I put him in the water, and in the first half he didn’t do well because we didn’t play the ball to him and he has to improve his movement, stay high up, make it difficult for the full-back, go off because he’s very quick – and if he’s doing that he’s making us less predictable.”

Despite the disappointment of their cup defeat to the Coca-Cola League Two leaders, which Jol admitted had made him feel “sick”, Spurs have enjoyed one of their best starts to a season.

Jol’s men have lost just once – to Chelsea – in their six matches, and are unbeaten away from home.

The Dutchman feels, when he has a full squad, Tottenham are now a much more competitive outfit.

“If everybody is playing I think we can win a lot of games and we will give everybody a problem and we’ll score goals,” said the Spurs boss, who will have Egypt striker Mido available again following suspension, while midfielder Edgar Davids is expected to shake off a groin injury to face Fulham.

“I think that if you play six games and you concede three goals, as an attacking team, you are very well organised – but now we have to gel together when everyone is on board and I think we’ve done that because we haven’t lost games and we’ve had a good start.

“But after Mido’s suspension we had to change again, then Davids was out and he gave us a bit of bite in midfield.”

Jol added: “I think we’ve done well. I can live with a draw against Liverpool, and away at Villa.

“I just think we have to get better service from the flanks, especially the left.”