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TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp has accepted his team are highly unlikely to progress further in Europe this season.
His Spurs side slipped to defeat this evening against ten-man PAOK Salonika, and face an uphill battle to qualify for the knockout stages.
But when asked whether he would be disappointed should results not go his way on December 15, Redknapp said: “I'm disappointed now because we are not going to be in the last 32.
“I just wanted to win tonight, but we have changed the team around so we can do well in the league and this is the chance you take.”
Redknapp said the chances of progressing are “very slim”, with Spurs needing a win away at Shamrock Rovers, hoping PAOK beat Rubin Kazan, and they also need to over turn a five-goal gap in goal difference.
PAOK manager Laszlo Boloni said he would put out a strong team in Greece for the final group game against Kazan, even though his side have already qualified for the knockout phase.
Spurs went two goals down in the first 12 minutes this evening at White Hart Lane, and Redknapp blamed “sloppy defending” for the setback.
He said: “We had a back four who hadn't really played together, and for the first ten minutes it was like they didn't know each other.
“Two terrible goals, they started well, and it was difficult.”
Spurs were offered a 36th minute lifeline when PAOK defender Kostas Stafylidis was sent off for handling on the line. Modric halved the deficit with the subsequent penalty.
Redknapp said: “At 2-1, I thought we would come back in the second half and win it, but we just couldn't break them down.”
And he accepted a Jermain Defoe goal was right to be disallowed 15 minutes from time because of an earlier foul.
Tottenham fans can now expect wholesale changes to the side for this Saturday's tie at home to Bolton, where a win could temporarily put them up to second in the Premier League
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