Tottenham coach Martin Jol could make a last-minute attempt to persuade full-back Stephen Kelly to stay at the club. Kelly has rejected a new Spurs contract and is set to quit White Hart Lane when his deal expires in the summer.

The Republic of Ireland international played at right-back, his more orthodox position, for the first time in the win over Birmingham last Saturday.

But Jol would not be drawn when asked if he would make another attempt to keep Kelly at the club.

"Stephen's contract is finishing at the end of the year and he said to me that he wanted to go to another club," he said. "But he is playing again and we will have to wait and see what happens. I have not talked about it with him. Last week he played for the first time again.

"He was quite firm about going to another club as his contract was finishing. I told him I could understand that because he has not played and Paul Stalteri was playing every game and was never injured. I thought the time was right for Stephen to play against Birmingham because he had never played in his position.

"Paul had done well so I did not want to chop and change earlier. We have not played 60 matches or otherwise Stephen would have played a lot. But we went out of the two cups and we only had the Premiership so there was no reason to change. Let's wait and see what happens with Stephen."

Midfielder Danny Murphy accepts he must wait for his chance to establish himself in the first team. Murphy, a January signing from Charlton, has made just one start for the club in the home draw with Wigan.

But while the former England and Liverpool midfielder admits he is unhappy when not playing, he is ready to bide his time at White Hart Lane.

"Competition for place is really healthy," admitted Murphy. "The same 11 players are not going to be used every week. Don't get me wrong, I want to play every week like everyone else, but I am not naive enough to believe that is going to happen.

"You can be part of a successful squad and still contribute without playing in every single game. I am not someone who is happy not to play and I will do everything I can to get in the team but I am also aware of the quality around me. Sometimes as a footballer you have to look a bit more to the long term."