JERMAIN DEFOE says it would be “catastrophic” if his old club Tottenham are relegated from the Prem.
Spurs are staring down the barrel after a on Thursday night.
Tottenham are one point above the relegation places after losing to Crystal Palace on ThursdayCredit: Alamy
Spurs boss Igor Tudor has lost all three of his games in charge since being appointedCredit: Getty
Tottenham are winless in their last 11 league games and sit 16th in the table, one point above the relegation places.
And Defoe, who made 176 appearances for Spurs, fears what would happen if his former side went down to the .
He told SunSport: “It would be catastrophic, to be fair, if the club got relegated.
“A massive club like Tottenham – you look at the infrastructure and everything that comes about.
“I have been in both situations. Of course, the pressure of trying to win the league or finish in the top four is a lot of pressure.
“But I do feel like it is maybe a different type of pressure [at the bottom] when you have maybe not experienced something like this before. It is going to be tough.”
Defoe has tasted relegation from the Prem before, experiencing it with both and .
And asked if the Spurs players have the hunger and fight for a relegation battle, Defoe said: “The players have got that.
“If they didn’t have that, they wouldn’t have achieved what they have in terms of being young kids and growing up to play at this level.
“You need a little bit of fight about you – and if you haven’t got it, you are going to have to find it because it is going to be difficult.
“The reality is you are in a relegation fight. If you don’t win football matches, and teams in and around you start winning, then you are in trouble.”
Tottenham’s woeful Prem form has come alongside them flying high in the .
They finished fourth in the group stage and travel to Atletico Madrid next week for the first leg of their last-16 tie.
Defoe, who was speaking at the London Football Awards, added: “It is like one extreme to another.
“The Champions League is obviously so big for the football club.
“But at the same time, I would love to stand here and say Tottenham are not in a relegation fight – but they are.
“The club has not experienced this before. These players have probably never experienced this before. There are some top players there.
“All the injuries they have had this season…it’s key to get some of those back from now to the end of the season. Hopefully, they can help this team win games.
“But it is going to be difficult. When I look at the West Ham performances, they have improved so much under Nuno.
“They have got a little bit of fight, a little bit of spirit and momentum. Leeds are the same, Forest are the same.”
Jermain Defoe is VERY worried for Tottenham’s futureCredit: Getty
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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