Benoit - Spurs a top side

Benoit Assou-Ekotto: Tottenham defender keen on return to the Champions League

Benoit Assou-Ekotto believes Tottenham will still be one of the best teams in the country - even if they fail to secure UEFA Champions League football.

Spurs are currently fourth - a point ahead of fifth placed Newcastle and two behind third-placed Arsenal - going into the final day of the campaign.

Earlier this season, their swashbuckling brand of football compelled many observers to tip Harry Redknapp's side as outside contenders for the Premier League title.

After finishing fifth last year, a place in European football's elite club competition was one of their primary targets this season.

However, if Chelsea beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League final on 19th May, only a top three finish will guarantee entry for Spurs.

Failure

The Cameron international will miss Fulham's visit to White Hart Lane on Sunday with a dislocated shoulder, but insists his team-mates are not taking the game lightly.

"No, I don't think finishing outside of the top four can be called a failure," he told Sky Sports at the Best of Africa awards.

"People forget we have only finished in the top four once after a very long time [back in 2009/10], but I do think it will be disappointing if we don't.

"Our fans will not have a good summer. As players, it will not be cool and I know the boss will not like it, so nobody will be jumping and laughing.

"But nobody will be crying because we are not getting relegated, and we are still one of the top sides in the country."

Poor

Tottenham suffered a slump in form from mid-February to mid-April, which saw them win just three of their 13 games during that spell.

It coincided with the incessant speculation that saw Redknapp tipped to be appointed England boss by the press, but the left-back dismisses claims that was the reason for their dip in form.

"I do not know many players who read the newspapers and I know I don't really care about those kinds of things," he added.

"Our results were poor for some time because we did not play at 100 per cent during that period.

"Every team has a period like that, at least two in the season but ours came at a bad time because everybody was looking at the boss and saying he should be manager of England.

"In football this happens all the time, players change, managers change and owners of clubs change. Nothing stays the same."