Sebastien Bassong is preparing for a heavenly adventure after a hellish few months, writes TOM HOPKINSON.
Sunday People
02:19, 11 Feb 2013Updated 02:52, 11 Feb 2013
Sebastien Bassong is preparing for a heavenly adventure after a hellish few months, writes TOM HOPKINSON.
The big defender suffered an awful last season with Newcastle, which saw the Magpies relegated.
And despite his summer move to Tottenham, Cameroon boss Paul Le Guen left him out of their squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Since then, however, he has been a consistent starter for Spurs and, as Harry Redknapp's men maintain their push for a Champions League spot, Bassong has also been called back into the international fold for this week's clash with Italy.
Bassong said: "When you are fighting relegation, it's a bad pressure. Now it's good pressure, fighting for the Champions League.
"Every morning you're happy to go into training and you want to succeed. You're working well because you're in a good mood to work.
"It's not like at Newcastle. The fans were brilliant but I had four managers in a year.
Now I've got one and Harry is a great manager. This could be a great year for me - I might even get to the World Cup."
Bassong was born in Paris and was a France youth international. But he added: "My dad told me it was up to me, but he was encouraging me towards Cameroon a bit."
Vedran Corluka returns at right-back for Spurs today after illness and Wilson Palacios is expected to be fit after being hit by the same bug.