Shamrock Rovers 0-4 Tottenham: Big win but no draw for Spurs

Harry Redknapp suffered a night of torment in Dublin – but insisted he did not make an obscene gesture to home fans.

The Spurs boss suffered verbal abuse all night from Shamrock supporters.

But he dismissed accusations he responded with “an obscene gesture” as his side crashed out of the Europa League.

Taunted by terrace chants, Redknapp fumed: “Did I make an obscene gesture? No, no.

“I’ve spent enough time in Ireland to know what great people they are, and I’m not just saying that. It’s just when you get people together like that...

“If you met them afterwards I’m sure they’re lovely people, but when they’re together they shout a load of nonsense. But that’s football and that’s life.”

Tottenham threw the kitchen sink at the Irish champions, but their European aspirations ultimately vanished down the plughole without a trace.

Redknapp promised to give it a go in Dublin and his team did so in the first half with goals from Steven Pienaar, Andros Townsend and Jermain Defoe, with another at the death from Harry Kane.

But with the Londoners playing with such a swagger domestically, Redknapp won’t lose a wink of sleep having crashed out here.

Ten-man Rubin Kazan’s 1-1 draw in Greece against PAOK, twinned with Tottenham’s failure to secure a mammoth swing in goal difference, proved their undoing.

“We couldn’t have done any more,” added Redknapp. “It was always going to be difficult relying on other scores.

“At half-time, with the Russians losing and down to 10-men, I thought they might get beat 2-0 or 3-0 – and 4-0 for us might have done it. But I had a feeling the other game might end in a draw.”

He added: “I wanted to win, I was desperate to stay in it.

“We just had a bad 15-minute spell at home against the Greek side. Everything had gone to plan before that. It was a big upset to lose at home. We threw it away in that game.”

Redknapp’s attention now turns to Sunderland at the weekend.

He said: “It will be a tough game. Steve Bruce brought some good players to the club but we are a good team at home.”

Spurs started rustily and Richard Brush was barely tested until Danny Rose’s miscued shot flew goalwards and the keeper back-tracked to tip on to the crossbar after 25 minutes.

Spurs took the lead through Pienaar just before the half hour with a deflected effort from 18 yards.

Townsend curled in a sweet shot to make it 2-0 on 38 minutes before Defoe made it three just before half-time.

Kane tapped home in the last minute, but it proved worthless for Spurs as PAOK’s failure to beat Rubin meant they were out.

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HOW THE GROUP FINISHED

                         P   W   D   L   F   A    Pts

q-PAOK             6   3   3   0 10    6    12

q-Rubin Kazan  6   3   2   1 11    5    11

Tottenham        6   3   1   2   9    4    10

Shamrock R       6   0   0   6   4  19     0