Tottenham full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto has thanked Harry Redknapp for his help after previous managers branded him moody. The 25-year-old has been one of the most improved players at White Hart Lane since Redknapp took over a year ago and the defender has been rewarded with a new contract with his club and a call-up for Cameroon.
"There are a lot of factors involved, I had a long injury and then only played six months before that," he said. "It's about adapting to the game and now I'm more confident.
"Harry obviously believes in me, the other managers maybe didn't believe in me as much. They said I should be a happier person or smile more, or speak more English - but it doesn't matter because I can prove it on the pitch.
"That is what I'm doing at the moment by playing more and becoming a better player for Tottenham Hotspur."
Now he is looking forward to playing on the biggest stage in South Africa next year.
"Going to the World Cup feels excellent," he said. "We had to win in Morocco which we did and it's the first World Cup in Africa so it will be unforgettable.
"I'm very proud, all the family in Cameroon know they have a national player and I would rather play for a team that qualified like we did and not wait until the 116th minute to go through (like France)."
