Dynamic Pattison could be headed for Moscow as Khumalo hopes for Reading return

Sundowns midfielder Matthew Pattison could be going to Russia with love - after a trial with Dynamo Moscow.
Pattison, widely considered to be unlucky not to feature in Bafana Bafana's World Cup squad when South Africa hosted the World Cup last season, has been absent from Johan Neeskens' Mamelodi millionaires for a week after going on trial to the Russian capital.
While Dutch master Neeskens is being pilloried for his decision to drop goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands for the 3-0 defeat against Moroka Swallows on Saturday, a gloriously oblivious Pattison, 24, revealed: "I went to Moscow for three days and I only got back on Friday. I was on trial at Dynamo."
After seeing Sundowns team-mate Katlego "Killer" Mphela rejected after a similar visit to Glasgow giants Celtic two months ago, Pattison is understandly coy about his chances of a long-term contract with Dynamo.
Often over-looked by new boss Neeksens this season Pattison added: "Maybe I might go back to Moscow again, who knows? I'm not too sure so I will have to wait and see.
"I have to keep my options open, because I'm a free agent at the end of the season. My agent is speaking to Dynamo.
"You have to take care of your own interests and if it is not working out, then you got to move on."
But Pattison is only too aware of the pitfalls of a move overseas to further his career. Bafana Bafana central defender Bongani Khumalo was all set for a glittering career with Tottenham Hostpur when he moved from then-champions Supersports United for R15m in January.
Tman who scored his first international goal in the historic World Cup win over France in 2010 finds himself on loan at Championship club Reading - and unable to hold down a first team place at the Madejski Stadium.
Khumalo, also 24, started first four matches of Reading's crusade to regain Premier League status but injury and the vagaries of coach Brian McDermott's selection process has left him out in the cold at Reading... and Bafana.
Khumalo hasn't played since his Carling Cup defeat against Charlton Athletic at the end of August but insists: "I feel good and strong and ready to play so I just have to wait for my chance."
He told kick-0ff.com: "We're doing quite well right now, so it is unlikely things will change right now – all I can do is keep working and make sure I'm ready.
"I think I've finally settled in now but it has been a tough year for me. I'm getting used to the pace of the game and feeling more confident now."
Reading's lack of enthusiasm saw Khumalo - once considered a certainty as former Supersports United team-mate Morgan Gould's defensive partner - replaced by Siyabonga Sangweni in Pitso Mosimane's Bafana line-upBut after missing the embarrasing 0-0 draw against Sierra Leone - and the misguided post-match dance when Bafana's players though they had qualified for the 2012 CAF Nations Cup - Khumalo confesses: "It's one of the things but the rule is there so we just have to move on now."
Meanwhile Davide Somma, the Bafana striker who suffered a ligament injury at Leeds United last July, may be available at a reasonable fee to one of South Africa's major clubs.
Somma, born in Edenvale near Johannesburg, forged his goal-getting reputation in the United States before moving to Italy where he made inroads as a professional striker. But after impressing with Leeds last season - and making his hastily arranged South Africa debut against the USA - he may now be considered a saleable asset at Elland Road.
With Orlando Pirates suffering numerous injury problems to their big-name striker Benni McCarthy and Kaizer Chiefs struggling for form, a move for Somma is seen as "probable" in the current climate.

Bongani Khumalo ready to hunt down London's nasty Lions

Bongani Khumalo is all fired up for his League debut for Reading on Saturday – against Millwall at the Madejski Stadium.

Bafana Bafana defender Bongani Khumalo – sent out on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur after the Vodacom Challenge barely a week ago – played his first game in the blue-and-white hoops of the Royals in a 2-1 pre-season friendly win at neighbours Swindon Town on Saturday and immediately turned his attention to the opening Championship showdown.

It was against Millwall – the “Lions” who have a reputation as the nastiest team in the EastEnd of London – that Khumalo injured his metatarsal while loan at doomed Preston North End last season.

The Swaziland-born, Pretoria-raised 24-year-old says: "Millwall? It's a sweet start – Preston v Millwall was my last game in the Championship after my foot injury, so I'm looking forward to it. I'll be really fired up for the Lions!”

Though South African observers expressed doubt over their world-class defender going on loan to another second-tier club in England, Khumalo insists he has made the right decision.

Khumalo has played at the Madejski Stadium, just off the M4 40 miles west of London, before – when Preston were crushed 2-1 by play-off bound Reading last season.

He recalls: "It was a tough game, I remember thinking the football here is very good - the players were quick, strong and very direct - as a defender it was a busy night!

"I just got a great feeling from the club after coming here with Preston and it just felt right. I spoke with the manager Brian McDermott and I was very impressed with his plans for the season, so after that there was really only one option."

Though he was also linked to Scottish champions Rangers, Khumalo says of Reading, who reached the play-off final before losing to Swindon Town last season: "It's amazing and an unbelievable setup here. Everyone's very friendly and I'm looking forward to getting the season off to a good start. I’ve always wanted to play in England, it’s great, a wonderful opportunity.

"I just want to be the best possible player I can be for this club. I want to grow as a person as well as a footballer. It's been magic so far (since his £1.5m move from then-South African champions Supersports United in January) and I have learnt a lot."

Crystal Palace won't dig deep for Gould... but mighty Morgan will dig deeper for a European future

SuperSports United centre-back Morgan Gould remained stoically upbeat after his surprise rejection at the hands of English Championship club Crystal Palace yesterday.

The 28-year-old flew home to Oliver Tambo International after his two weeks in South London insisting he “definitely” still wants to play in Europe, adding: “I’ve learned a lot from this experience.”

Gould , in man-of-the-match form when South Africa fought out a 0-0 draw against seven-times African champions Egypt in Cairo last month, was generally “impressive” on trial with the championship club in pre-season friendlies against Basingstoke and Wycombe Wanderers.

And with Bafana Bafana team-mate Kagisho Dikgachoi already at Selhurst Park after his move from Fulham, Morgan’s £500,000 transfer well within the bounds of most Championship clubs. Effectively the English second division, the Championship (18,106) is officially the sixth best-supported league in the world after Germany’s Bundesliga (42,673), the English Premier League (34,780), Spain’s La Liga (29,124), Italy’s Serie A (25,304) and France’s Ligue 1 (19,742).

But the Croydon Advertiser, the local “bible” for Palace fans, quoted Palace boss Dougie Friedman as saying yesterday: "Morgan did very well but at the price they were after I just felt he wasn't quite right for us.

“We're working to a very tight budget and at that price he would have had to go straight into the team and 'm not sure he was quite ready for that."

But when Gould arrived on trial, the Advertiser wrote: “Palace have only one recognised central defender in their ranks – and that is the error-prone Paddy McCarthy. A new man at the back is very much needed.”

Gould himself, talking to London-based former Johannesburg football writer Ed Aarons, said: “I most definitely still want to play in Europe.

“I’ll have to go back to South Africa and wait to hear if there are any other options. But it was a good experience that I will learn a lot from.

“We had a meeting today and Dougie said he likes everything he has seen but they need a player who can adapt quickly to the league. They are looking for someone who is experienced in playing in Europe so I have to respect that and move on now. Everything that happens to me I take it as a learning curve.”

On their fan site, Palace fan Lewisham Eagle wrote: “From what I read into that Dougie seems interested in Gould but wants to drive to price down.” EagleNut wrote: “We won't be signing Gould - DF thinks the price is too high and he 'isn't ready' for the first team.”

Prior to Gould’s rejection, Palace fans were being advised to stock up on blue and red vuvuzelas and rename one end at Selhurst Park “The Nelson Mandela Stand” in honour of KG (not many south Londoners can pronounce Dikgachoi) and Gould.

Palace were plunged into a financial crisis when colourful chairman Simon Jordan left after the club went into administration last year – they eventually avoided relegation by six points - but they still managed to pay around the same fee (5.3 million South African rand at yesterday’s rates) for midfielder Dikgachoi.

Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur paid £1.5m (around R16m) for Gould’s centre-back partner Bongani Khumalo last January and he has yet to play for the first team, though he has played in both Spurs’ Vodacom challenge matches in South Africa over the past week.

Just 24 hours before deciding to ditch Gould, Friedman saw Soweto-born 28-year-old who started out at Jomo Cosmos impress in a 0-0 pre-season draw at League One outfit Wycombe Wanderers. He said then: “Morgan has done fantastically well but I think it is only right I talk to the kid before I make any statement.

"It's hard to judge, but he's been with us for a week and we know what we're after. You do your homework and you'll see the signings I bring in will be the right type, the right age, the right profile and he fits all of that.

"So he's done alright but we'll have a chat with him tomorrow and see.

"There's a long, long way to go. There is a fee involved and before we can even go anywhere we'd have to get the right deal. We'll see."

Gould, capped 17 times by South Africa, will return to pre-season training with Supersports United next week. Boss Gavin Hunt may well be breathing a huge sigh of relief over Friedman’s harsh decision to return his captain. Matsatsantsa (The Swanky Boys) struggled in the South African Premier League last season, failing by a substantial margin to maintain the standards which led to three successive South African Premier League titles in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Keep up with all the latest sports news at www.neal-collins.blogspot.com and www.twitter.com/nealcol.

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Brad Friedel wishes Nelson Mandela happy birthday... and prepares for Pirates onslaught

Brad Friedel, the ageless American goalkeeper, wished Nelson Mandela a very happy 93^rd birthday yesterday before engaging in the usual pre-match verbals in the build-up to tonight’s clash between Tottenham Hotspur and South African champions Orlando Pirates in Nelspruit.

Asked to give a message to camera by the South African Broadcasting Corporation cameras in a quiet corner of the luxurious Palazzo Hotel next to Monte Casino – South Africa’s answer to Las Vegas – the 40-year-old didn’t hesitate. He rarely does.

In South Africa for the first time on the date set aside as Mandela Day by the United Nations, he said simply: “Congratulations Mr Mandela on your 93^rd birthday. Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur wishes you well.”

And he remembered another South African luminary too. He played with former Kaizer Chiefs legend Doc Khumalo at Columbus Crew in the late 90s as was quick to ask after his old friend.

It’s the mark of the man that he is so calm in front of potentially awkward camera shots, that he knew how to handle the latest Madiba landmark, as he has handled tricky shots 82 times between the sticks for the United States not to mention 426 games for Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa.

Now retired internationally – he missed out on the USA’s World Cup challenge in South Africa last year – Friedel explained his off-season move to Tottenham easily: “After all those years at Blackburn I made the move to Villa but my contract was expiring and when Harry Redknapp made an offer, I took it.

“It was easy. They’re a good club, going places, with a great squad. The older you get, the easier it is to fit into different atmospheres.

“I’ve found the Tottenham changing room very easy to come into, the players seem very genuine and they’ve made me very welcome. It’s a great group of lads, a great atmosphere and the camaraderie between the players is very good.” ”

But Friedel – left on the bench for Tottenham’s tour-opening 1-0 defeat against Chiefs at Polokwane on Saturday (thanks largely to Itumeleng Khune's great save from Peter Crouch, pictured above) - theoretically finds himself down the pecking order behind Brazilian No 1 Heurelho Gomes and former Chelsea stopped Carlo Cudicini, the Italian who once offered to play for England.

So he’s happy to be number three at White Hart Lane? In a word. “No.” He said firmly, bald head gleaming in the African winter sun, “I’ll be fighting for the number one spot with Carlo and Gomes. It’s friendly rivalry but it’s real. I will work to be No 1.

“The manager sees us train. He decides who to pick. I won’t be taking it easy at Spurs. I’ll be that was as long as my body holds out... I know that will be sooner rather than later, but that’s how it is. This is no holiday.”

Nobody in a white shirt will be taking a holiday over the next five days in South Africa, according to boss Harry Redknapp, who arrived in Johannesburg yesterday. After treble winners Pirates at the Mbombela Stadium tonight, Spurs go to Ellis Park in nearby Johannesburg on Saturday play the winners of the Orlando Pirates v Kaiser Chiefs Soweto derby showdown in Port Elizabeth on Thursday.

Friedel, from Lakewood Ohio and at 6ft 2in, an All-State basketballer in his youth, confesses: “It’s good pre-season work for us. We won’t be taking it easy. It’s a tough season ahead. We didn’t quite make the Champions League last season, I’ll leave it to the manager to say what our aims are this season, but for me, every game, every result is important.”

Though he hasn’t seen enough of South African team-mates Steven Pienaar or Bongani Khumalo to pass judgement, Friedel, aware that team-mate Pienaar faces his boyhood favourites tonight, insists: “You don’t win any awards in pre-season, but you need to get yourself ready, get your sharpness up.”

Who is Neal Collins (@nealcol on www.twitter.com/nealcol)? See www.nealcollins.co.uk.

Spurs No1 Gomes Eager for Third Successive Summer in Africa

Tottenham’s Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is heading to South Africa for a third successive summer insisting: “Playing against Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs will be perfect preparation for the English Premier League season.”

Gomes came to the Rainbow Nation in 2009 as part of the Brazil squad for the Confederations Cup and was back last year as his nation reached the quarter-finals of World Cup.

Now he prepares for the Vodacom Challenge against the treble winning champions the Buccaneers and Arsenal-like under-achievers Chiefs telling the tottenhamhotspur.com website: “South Africa is a great place to play football, the atmosphere is special, a lot different to other countries.

“First of all, the people are so friendly and they love the game as everyone knows from the World Cup.”

With Spurs set to play at World Cup venues in Polokwane, Nelspruit and Johannesburg’s Ellis Park, the Brazilian is ready for a return to the din of the vuvuzelas and grinned: “The stadiums are fantastic - South Africa did very well for the World Cup. The feeling for the game there is unbelievable. It’s a great atmosphere to play football in.

“I think it will be ideal preparation for us and we have to be ready for the start of the season.

“We know it will be tougher than ever because everyone knows about Tottenham now and what we can do.”

Spurs plan to bring both their Bafana Bafana internationals, Steven Pienaar and Bongani Khumalo with them on safari. Pienaar arrived at White Hart Lane from Everton for £2m in January just a month after Khumalo landed from Pretoria’s SuperSports United for £1.5m.

But with a surfeit of central defenders at Spurs, Khumalo, 24, looks set to turn out next season on loan at Scottish champions Rangers, who have had a difficult pre-season so far under new manager Ally McCoist.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp made the loan offer to Rangers last week and agent Glyn Binkin confirms: “I think it will be an excellent move for Bongani, because Rangers are a big club.”

Khumalo, who has yet to turn out for the Spurs first team, fractured a metatarsal in his foot after playing six “outstanding” games on loan for relegated Championship club Preston North End last season.

Binkin insists: “Bongani is focused on fully recovering and he should be back at full training by the end of this week.

“He will be keen on the loan deal, because he wants to play football and gain the experience. If the opportunity arises he will go. I think it will be an excellent move for him.”

Spurs kick-off the Vodacom Challenge against the Amakhosi on Saturday, July 16 in Polokwane before facing Bucsalona in Nelspruit on Tuesday, July 19.

The Chiefs and Pirates go head-to-head in Port Elizabeth on Thursday, July 21 and Spurs take on the winners of the Soweto derby in the final on Saturday, July 23 at Ellis Park.

Come in No40... Steven Pienaar Confirms His Move To Spurs Personally. You read it here first, two months ago

Steven Pienaar is all set to play for new club Tottenham against Newcastle on Saturday – and will wear No40 on the famous white jersey at St James’s Park

Twittering frantically, the wizard from Westbury near Johannesburg said: “To end speculation I am going to Spurs. I've had brilliant years at Everton and it will always be a special place in my heart.

“And I can also confirm I will be jersey No40.”

A relieved Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, who has pursued Pienaar ruthlessly through his unsettled months at Everton, admits he nearly lost out to Chelsea at the final hurdle when the January transfer window opened.

Both clubs were eager to swoop despite the fact that Pienaar would have been available on a free transfer at the end of the season. Pienaar and astute agent Rob Moore is believed to have agreed a deal of around £70,000-a-week with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

With the 28-year-old only a medical away from signing after Spurs upped their bid to match Chelsea’s £3m price tag, Redknapp told Sky Sports News: "I think we've done it - I think it's done. I think everything's agreed and he's going to join us, we're pretty sure.

"He's a good signing. He's a good footballer, I think he'll fit into the way we play great and I've always liked him.

"He has a good attitude, a good trainer, a good player. I know David Moyes loved him at Everton and it was unfortunate he decided not to stay

"But in the end I think it is a fair deal - Everton got a decent fee in the end for him, Chelsea were in for him, and I think he spoke to Chelsea and he came and spoke to us and he's decided to come here."

Redknapp added: "He should be available to face Newcastle - hopefully we will get him sorted in time and if everything goes through, it shouldn't be a problem. I think he'll be in the squad for Saturday."

If all goes well today, Pienaar will join David Beckham and recently signed-compatriot Bongani Khumalo, 23, at Tottenham’s Chigwell training facility.

Pienaar Nearly Ready To Earn His Spurs As Everton Move To Reassure Fans

The long-running saga which has finally taken Steven Pienaar from Everton to Tottenham Hotspur is not yet over – and already the Goodison Park faithful are being assured: “He’s replaceable.”

As predicted by this writer three months ago, Pienaar finally snubbed Chelsea for Spurs last night when Everton agreed a fee with the rising North London hopefuls rather than the ailing West London champions.

Both clubs are believed to have offered £3m for South Africa’s brightest star, who would be out of contract and available free at the end of the season.

Chelsea’s initial £3m bid was accepted by Everton on Sunday night but the club failed to agree terms with Pienaar, who was believed to be seeking £75,000 a week - a pittance next to the £130,000-plus paid to John Terry and Frank Lampard.

When Spurs upped their bid to £3m from an initial £1.5m, they were granted permission to speak to their long-term target, as predicted by me on eNews in South Africa last night.

Pienaar, 29, will now join newly-signed compatriot Bongani Khumalo, 24, at White Hart Lane during the January transfer window and will presumably be in line for a Champions League debut against AC Milan, which has always been his aim, according to agent Rob Moore.

Moore told me: “This move was never motivated by money. Steven is looking to sign that final contract with a side that can offer him regular Champions League football. Everton last managed that in 2005. I think that says it all.”

Pienaar’s transfer to Spurs had barely been agreed when Everton’s US international goalkeeper Tim Howard appeared on Sky News to reassure fans: "The gaffer David Moyes is really shrewd. He found Mikel Arteta, Tim Cahill and Steven Pienaar.

"Steven has been our engine for the last couple of years. There is no hiding from that. He has been our star player.

"But my feeling, having been at this club for so long, is that we just get on with it. We don't dwell on things. There will be another. That's just the way it is here at Everton."

David Pleat's Advice To Tottenham's Bongani Khumalo... and The Man Himself's First Impressions

David Pleat, the 65-year-old footballing icon responsible for taking Bongani Khumalo from Supersports United to Tottenham Hotspur this month, has a word of warning for South Africa’s latest export.

Pleat, who picked out Khumalo’s unruffled defending while working for the BBC during the World Cup and recommended a £1.5m move after a trial period at Spurs in August, said: “Bongani must not try and chase the elusive dream too quickly. He needs to be patient and to take his time settling in.”

With the fate of Spurs’ last South African Mabilelo OJ Mabizela clear in his mind, Pleat told BBC Radio Five Live: “The change in environment and culture is going to massive for him and it is so important that he embraces the club and fellow players fully.”

OJ famously scored on his debut for Spurs in 2004 when Pleat was involved as a caretaker manager at White Hart Lane - but 14 months and just seven games later, he returned home with addiction problems.

Pleat knows Khumalo, who arrived in London on his 24^th birthday last week, will be under pressure. Particularly as he will be training at Tottenham’s Chigwell training facility with a certain David Beckham, who passed a medical yesterday and remains keen to play while he is with Harry Redknapp’s squad.

Khumalo started training with the bevy of top coaches, including former Leeds legend Joe Jordan, Kevin Bond, Tim Sherwood and goal-getter Clive Allen, last Friday. His agent Glyn Binkin, who joined Khumalo on the flight to Heathrow, said his man is settling in well and is dealing with one of the coldest winter’s on record in Britain.

With William Gallas, Michael Dawson and Sebastien Bassong standing in his way, Khumalo may have similar problems. Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate are injured while Younes Kaboul is returning from a three match suspension, making a central-defensive platoon of seven since Khumalo’s arrival on the training ground.

The player himself said on the club’s official website: "All the players are very professional and very good, genuine guys and quality players. I've been very fortunate to just be a part of that and take in the experience so far.

"They've done so well this season and there are quality players all around. I just want to be part of the success.

"I want to win games here, I want to win titles - that's what the game's about. I've been fortunate to experience some success in my career back home lifting trophies and I would like to do the same here. The feeling is addictive.

"It's a higher level, it's not easy but I'm going to give it my best and contribute as best as I can to the team's success."

"I'm looking to learn as fast as I can and do all I can to contribute to this wonderful team.

Pleat, the former Spurs Director of Football famous for his on-field jig when Luton Town avoided relegation in 1983, advises only child Khumalo: “A lot will depend on finding the right kind of friends. He has to do the right things both on and off the field. As you know, there were one or two problems with OJ Mabizela. In the end were too much for us to cope with.

“Football will not take up all your time. In your spare time you must take up an interest, it’s very important

“Whether it’s spending time around London, going to the theatre or whatever, players need to make sure that their mind is motivated and that they’re not bored.”

Pleat has his regrets over the OJ saga. He remembers well the debut goal against Leicester and admits: “We like OJ. He was outstanding in the air. A very forceful play. I think in his case we could have done better for him.

“But we didn’t know enough about his background. If we had then perhaps we could have helped him more. He came over and did well but it was hard for him to get into the first team."

Harry Redknapp Ends The Great Debate: David Beckham's on His Way To Spurs for three months

THE great David Beckham debate appears to be over. The world’s best known footballer WILL come back to the English Premier League and spend three months on loan at Tottenham Hotspur.

Here it is from the horse’s mouth. Harry Redknapp, the man who has transformed the north London club in two short years, said: "David wants to come over here to the freezing cold and play football. Doesn't that tell you something about the boy that he lives in Los Angeles and might be a billionaire?

"It’s not about money. We’re not great payers here and in the short term, he's not going to sell a load of shirts. He is a local boy isn't he? Leytonstone?

"We'll contact LA Galaxy to see if they will let him go and if David is up for a three-month deal, we are definitely interested.”

So there it is. Bongani Khumalo, currently en route to North London after his £1.5m transfer from South African champions Supersports United, will welcome the news. Imagine playing behind the great Becks himself in the FA Cup clash against Charlton on 9 January!

That might be a bit early for Becks but with the Major League Soccer season starting on 15 March, Beckham, 35, will get to feature in the Champions League knock-out clashes on 15 February and 9 March against AC Milan, the club he had a similar loan spell with in 2009 and 2010.

And of course he gets to be a thorn in the side of his old boss Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United, the club where he made his name, playing 394 games and winning the Premier League title six times. In the past he has said he would not play for a club England because of his love for United. But all that changed when he was picking up the BBC’s lifetime achievement award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony this month. He told a stunned audience in Birmingham: “I won’t be going back to AC Milan this time because it is not possible to go onto the roster for such a short length of time.

“But I will be going back somewhere, as I want to keep myself fit and keep myself in with a chance of getting called up for England again. To do that, I have to be somewhere, so fingers crossed I can sort something out.”

Though LA Galaxy could yet refuse permission for Beckham to go on loan, Redknapp grinned: “He isn't going to come here and get big money ... but he wants to come over here to the freezing cold and play football.

"I'm sure he can still do a great job at the top level, otherwise I wouldn't bother. And it’s not about cash. We aren't massive payers at this club.”

Courted by Everton, West Ham, his old United pal Steve Bruce at Sunderland and Sven Goran Eriksson’s Championship club Leicester, Stoke were the last club to express an interest. But Spurs, Beckham’s boyhood club when he was growing up in Leytonsone, near Tottenham, in London, will do the trick as he continues to rehabilitate after the six-month Achilles injury which forced him out of World Cup contention.

The stated aim? To play for England again, to add to his record 115 caps, the last won under Fabio Capello in the 3-0 win over Belarus in October, 2009.

Redknapp knows the deal isn’t done but admits: "I'm not saying he's going to come in and take Aaron Lennon's place wide on the right but he would be a good option.

"I am sure Aaron would love to work with him, on his crossing and everything, and on his final ball. He would be a good influence around the place."

Certainly his knowledge, after acting as an England coach in Phokeng during the World Cup, would also benefit Bafana Bafana’s 23-year-old new arrival Khumalo. The question is, with Beckham there on loan, will Redknapp persevere with the £2m move for fellow South African Steve Pienaar, out of contract at Everton in the summer? He may well now wait until he is available for free in June.

And as for the overwhelming media scrum, Redknapp laughs: "I don't think it would be a distraction. Once you're in here, the gates are shut.

“He could sit in his fantastic house with a pool and enjoy his life for a few months before he starts with LA Galaxy again. I've heard stories about how much he earns, it is just incredible, mind-blowing.

“He could buy any football club in this country if he wanted to. He is not going to do it for the money is he? But he wants to come. He’s still got real passion for the game. He’ll give the whole place a real lift.”

Spurs New Boy Bongani Khumalo Ear-Marked For FA Cup Debut Against Charlton on January 9

Bongani Khumalo has been ear-marked to make his debut for Spurs on January 9 – against Charlton Athletic in the all-London FA Cup third round clash at White Hart Lane.

With centre-back Younes Kaboul sent off against Newcastle on Tuesday night and fellow defensive buttresses Jonathan Woodgate, William Gallas and Ledley King all still injured, boss Harry Redknapp is “down to the bare bones” in central defence as the New Year dawns.

Redknapp appears to have only Michael Dawson and Sebastien Bassong to juggle with as Spurs face Fulham at home on Saturday followed by Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday night.

Though Khumalo, 23, has had his problems with injury and form as champions Supersports United hover just above the relegation zone in South Africa this season, he may have had a chance of playing in those two upcoming Premier League matches. But the big freeze in England has delayed Khumalo’s arrival in North London.

Spurs are likely to shuffle the pack for the FA Cup clash and if Khumalo - whose first name, Bongani, means happiness - has settled and trained well, a debut against the Addicks is “quite likely”. Others believe he needs a spell on loan in the lower division to adapt to English conditions after his grounding in the mediocre South African Premier League.

Khumalo’s planned flight to Heathrow has been delayed with agent Glyn Binkin admitting: "There's been a slight delay because of all the snow – as you know, the work permit was granted a few weeks ago. We’re just waiting for the final visa to be validated - all the documents we had to send over were caught up in the post as a result of the freeze and things have taken slightly longer than we had anticipated.

"I'm certain he'll travel before the end of the week. Spurs have had a lot of injuries and suspensions so it's going to be a great opportunity when he finally gets to London. I hope he will rise to the occasion."

Spurs remain in contention for both the Premier League – their last two wins over Newcastle and Aston Villa came despite being reduced to 10 men twice – and the Champions League, where they finished top of their Group of Death, ahead of European Champions Inter Milan. They face city rival Milan in the first knock-out game on February 15.

But on the domestic knock-out front, Charlton are a potential stumbling block. The former Premier League club have slumped to League One in recent seasons. But the Addicks remain third in their third-flight division despite picking up only one point in their last three games over the Christmas period.

Khumalo, described by a Redknapp as “an African kid from a poor background” after his trial at White Hart Lane in August, has been at pains to state he is not the archetypal foreign signing. An only child whose father was a language professor, he famously responded: “I’m not one of 14 children. I’m probably quite middle class.”

Handed the captain’s armband by Gavin Hunt at Supersports, Khumalo is expected to achieve great things at Spurs after scoring against France during a World Cup when he was one of Bafana Bafana’s few true successes. But he may take time to settle in, especially with temperatures dipping close to freezing in England, conditions he has rarely had to deal with, growing up in Pretoria with Arcadia and University of Pretoria.

But he may be warmed on his landing in London by the simultaneous arrival of Bafana Bafana team-mate Steven Pienaar. Out of contract at Everton in the summer, Pienaar is being consistently linked to a cut-price £2m move to join the Redknapp revolution when the January transfer window opens.

Who the hell is Neal Collins (nealcol on Twitter)? Read today's Natal Mercury or Star in Johannesburg or see www.nealcollins.co.uk.

Tottenham's new African signing Bongani Khumalo insists: I'm not one of 14 kids and I'm not poor!

TOTTENHAM’S new signing Bongani Khumalo is determined to put right rumours that he is an impoverished African “with 14 siblings”.

The articulate 23-year-old, captain of South African Premier League champions Supersports United, was apparently referring to Spurs boss Harry Redknapp’s comments that he was “a good kid from a poor background.”

And Arsenal’s Emmanuel Eboue is one of 13 children, a fact which is often mentioned when referring to the Ivory Coast international.

But Khumalo, who will move to White Hart Lane in the January transfer window for £1.5m (R17m), said: "What? To say I'm from a poor background would be slightly unfair because I grew up in a middle-class family.

"I'm an only child. To say I have 14 siblings is a load of rubbish so I don't know where they got all that from.

"It's always been only me and I'll be coming to London on my own.

"My parents were academics. They've both passed away now but my dad was a lecturer who started the Swati African language department at the University of South Africa and my mother was a teacher.”

Khumalo, who confirmed he will be making two visits to London before his big move in January, added: "I was studying for a degree at Pretoria University, It's been on hold. I should be going back now actually.

"If I can take a couple of modules to keep it going then I'll be happy but it has been on hold for way too long and I need to get back to it."

Khumalo’s agent Glyn Binkin insisted Khumalo will not be farmed out on loan like so many foreign signings at Premier League clubs in the modern era. With fellow centre-backs Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King both suffering from long-term knee problems, Binkin said: "He's going to Tottenham to get into the first team. He is not going there with a view of going out on loan.

“Bongani's first priority is to try and win a place in the Spurs side and I think he is good enough to do that. For Harry Redknapp, he is a bit of an unknown quantity at the moment and we're talking about top-class European football here. He realises there are challenges ahead but Bongani has never been one to duck out of challenges."

And on the thorny subject of a work permit, Binkin added: “Since the Confederations Cup in 2009, he has played in every single competitive match apart from one (against Niger earlier this year) where he was injured so I think it will be fine. Spurs will look after the work permit when the time is right but we are very confident he will attain it. He's fulfilled the criteria over recent times so both parties expect no hitches."

Binkin added: "That should make it easier because obviously the weather is very cold that time of the year and it will only help him get used to the new surroundings. But Bongani's mentality is very good and I'm sure he will be able to cope."