Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has thanked Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp for rescuing his football career.

Johnson was out of the first team completely at Chelsea when Redknapp swooped in to bring him to Portsmouth, a move that rejuvenated the full-back to the point that he was called up to the England squad.

"It's fair to say that Harry rescued my career. I wasn't getting in the team at Chelsea. I asked to leave because I needed to play football regularly again," Johnson said in the News of the World ahead of today's clash with Spurs at White Hart Lane.

"Harry gave me a chance at Portsmouth when it was going wrong for me. He was the one that came to the table. He gave me an opportunity to rebuild my career and reputation at Portsmouth and I will always owe him something for the faith he showed in me."

"I have known Harry since I was a 10 year old at West Ham and of course Portsmouth. He is a fantastic man and a great manager so I will always be grateful to him."

"He was the one who saw things in me. He knew that if I was playing regular first-team football then I would continue to get better as a player," added the former West Ham youth product.

Many were quick to rule Johnson off as unfulfilled potential as he rotted in the Chelsea reserves, but his unexpected rebirth at Fratton Park caused many a pundit to pull a mulligan at the end of last season.

However, Johnson knows he has to prove his critics wrong again in this campaign as he looks to fight for a place in the Liverpool first eleven.

"I guess I've proved a few critics wrong, but I am not at the stage yet where I think that I have made the grade just because I've signed for Liverpool," he said.

"I want to kick on again and keep improving."

"When I was a young boy I always dreamed about playing for a club like Liverpool."

"I'm not going to put pressure on myself by saying what I'm going to do now because I am a laid-back lad, but I have come here to win things."