Ramos set to make late decision on King's fitness

Slavia Prague v Tottenham: Ledley King made the trip to Prague with his Tottenham team-mates but did not join them at their scheduled training session last night, instead working out at the hotel gym as the uncertainty over his fitness persisted.

"I cannot say whether he will play [ against Slavia]; it will depend on the progress of his knee," said the manager, Juande Ramos, who could give no assurances about his captain's prospects for the League Cup final against Chelsea on Sunday week.

Tomas Pekhart, the young forward signed from Slavia, has been named in the squad and he gave an insight into Ramos's uncompromising approach.

"When Ramos put Paul Robinson on the bench [ against Arsenal in January], Robinson did not go out for the warm-up, which made the coach even angrier," said Pekhart.

"Ramos is very strict about discipline. No one has dared to challenge him."

Pekhart also revealed how Ramos has turned around the club since taking over from Martin Jol in October.

"When Ramos came, he told us in the dressingroom that we were fat. He wanted us to improve our fitness; that is why he changed the training. We started doing two training sessions a day.

"After every session we were weighed. Our eating habits have changed. It was not that strict under Mr Jol. It was not that you could eat anything, but there were meals that were not suited for sportsmen. Nowadays we drink water with lemon."

Ramos has Didier Zokora back from African Nations Cup duty and Jonathan Woodgate back from domestic suspension.

Michael Dawson is out with a hamstring problem that may rule him out of the League Cup final.

Radek Cerny is set to make an emotional return to Slavia Prague - this time as first choice ahead of Robinson.

Cerny, on loan at Spurs from the Czech Republic side since January 2005, was in the squad last season when the two clubs met but was an unused substitute, as he was for most of the time before edging ahead of Robinson last month.

The Slavia coach, Karel Jarolim, says he is is mindful of the threat posed by Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane, "but it is not only them who are providing attacking options - the wide players do it as well".

Evzena Rosickeho Stadium, 8.0

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© 2008 Guardian Service

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times