So the unfortunate subject of an injury to Ledley King arises yet again after the Tottenham defender was withdrawn on the half-hour mark in his sides 2-2 draw at St James’s park on Sunday. Manager Harry Redknapp confirmed after the match his captain had suffered an abductor strain and expects him to be out for “a while”, which is no doubt a blow to both the team and King personally.
After missing the start of the season, which saw comprehensive defeats at the hands of Manchester United and City respectively, King’s return to the starting line-up had coincided with a run of four consecutive league wins prior to the trip to the North-East. Although there have been many other contributory factors, including the signings of Scott Parker and Emmanuel Adebayor as well as the refocusing of Luka Modric, there is no doubt that the presence of King at the heart of the defence had been a major part of the lilywhites resurgence. During the four games King played Spurs conceded only two goals, beating top four rivals Liverpool and Arsenal in the process. Therefore those associated with the North-London club may be concerned that in the hour following their captain’s exit from the field of play they managed to leak two goals and only draw a game in which they twice led but in the end were hanging on for a point.
It was only last week that Redknapp was quoted as saying he wasn’t looking to strengthen the centre of his defence in response to stories circulating that both Gary Cahill and Rio Ferdinand were potential transfer targets. The Tottenham manager appeared content to have a fit-again King playing alongside an improved Younes Kaboul, with Sebastien Bassong as back up and last season’s regular pairing of Michael Dawson and William Gallas both nearing a return to fitness.
However, with the fragility of King’s body once again exposed and the games coming thick and fast, it’s a worry for Spurs and it has to be questionable whether Redknapp will retain the same stance when the January transfer window opens.
What next for King in a season he has described as his “biggest yet”? With his contract due to expire next summer and his manager revealing he would have to play twenty-plus games to realistically recommend him for a new deal, King’s career would appear to be at a crossroads. His well-documented knee problems mean he is barely able to train and is restricted mostly to gym and pool work, a situation that leaves him prone to picking up other injuries as he did at the weekend and is doing so with increasing regularity. Although player and club have been dealing with these circumstances for a long period the contractual situation provides a dilemma for the Tottenham hierarchy and big decisions lay ahead.
King is undoubtedly a Tottenham legend. Progressing from trainee through to club-captain, he recently surpassed the 250-appearance mark and is a modern-day rarity in being a one-club man, although cynics would say his injury troubles have played a big part. It’s only his incredible talent that has enabled him to continue for so long, providing a headache for many a manager but always being selected when fit due to his undoubted value to the team. Although likely options would appear to be either a short contract on a reduced wage or a pay-as-you-play deal, there is a feeling that Tottenham will never truly move on with King in the background and that maybe his time at his beloved club is nearing an end. The vast majority of Spurs fans and King himself will be hoping for a happier ending.
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I would like to see him as a player /coach at Spurs rather than the pay as you play deal as this would not sustain his livelihood