Bassong breathing again at Spurs

Bassong: Difficult time at Newcastle

Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong has revealed how his move to White Hart Lane has reinvigorated his career.

The centre-back joined Spurs in August as Harry Redknapp paid £8million to Newcastle, who had been relegated from the Premier League.

Bassong admits that his time with the Magpies was far from enjoyable as the club were plagued by off-field drama and failed to produce results on the pitch.

But, ahead of Saturday's derby with Arsenal, the 23-year-old feels a new lease of life after becoming a major part of Redknapp's plans this season.

"I can breathe now," he said in The Guardian. "Last year it was very difficult to feel good.

Fight

"When you fight relegation it is very different to what I experience today. I come into training and I am happy.

"I can look forward to the rest of this season. In my mind, it is another world."

Bassong faces competition from the likes of Michael Dawson, Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King at Spurs as Redknapp is blessed with an abundance of riches at centre-back.

Dawson and Woodgate, especially, and King have suffered with injuries to make Bassong's place in the team a certainty at times, but he still acknowledges he has a fierce battle to be selected.

He added: "In football if you don't fight to keep your place, you lose. I like competition. It will be hard but fair."