Is too much football ruining Sheringham?

Sheringham's form has dipped alarmingly

By BBC Sport Online's Tom Fordyce

A fortnight ago, Teddy Sheringham was looking forward to European football next season, a World Cup role this summer and a possible FA Cup appearance in May.

Now, with Spurs having lost the Worthington Cup final and crashed out of the FA Cup to Chelsea, Tottenham's season is in danger of falling apart.

And Sheringham, who after his crucial goal against Greece in October seemed certain to be spending June in Japan, is now fearing for his place in Sven-Goran Eriksson's England squad.

Things have gone belly-up

Teddy Sheringham

When Spurs were flying high before Christmas, Sheringham was the man receiving the plaudits.

Having returned to White Hart Lane after his four trophy-hunting years at Old Trafford, he hit a vein of form as rich as anything in his career.

It wasn't just about goals. Sheringham having the range of passing that he does, he revelled playing deep, as happy playing in Gus Poyet, Christian Ziege and Darren Anderton as finding the net himself.

On 3 December, a late Sheringham goal gave Spurs a 3-2 win over Bolton and took them to fifth in the Premiership.

"People questioned whether I would play this season or have games in and out, but I'm enjoying my football and I want to carry on playing," said Sheringham that night.

Sheringham has endured a miserable February and March

"But the manager is keeping faith with me and we're playing some outstanding stuff at the moment."

After a hiccup at Charlton, Bolton were thrashed in the Worthington Cup and Fulham walloped 4-0 in the Premiership.

All seemed set fair for Sheringham and Spurs - but that was about as good as it got.

On 23 December, Spurs fell 2-1 at Ipswich. Worse, Sheringham was sent off for the first time in his career.

Defeats against Southampton and Newcastle followed. Cup form provided, in retrospect, nothing but a diversion.

As we approach crunch-time in the season, Spurs lie in eighth place, 10 points off a Uefa Cup place.

Sheringham has scored just two goals in his last 16 games, and endured his worst game in years against Blackburn in the Worthington Cup final.

Super-sub

The whispers have begun to circulate.

Is age finally slowing the mind and limbs of the old campaigner?

After four seasons as a super-sub at Old Trafford, is the strain of a full Premiership season proving too much?

Sheringham gets his first ever red card

The stats cast an interesting light on Sheringham's so-called slump.

He has already started 25 Premiership games this season, one more than he did in the whole of his last season at Manchester United.

Of the 24 starts he made for United, he was substituted in 11. By contrast, Glenn Hoddle has taken him off before the end just once at Spurs.

In 1999-2000, Sheringham began even fewer league games - just 15.

He was substituted in five of those and came on himself in 13 others.

Over his entire career with United, he was either substitute or substituted in more than half of his first-team games.

It does not take a genius to work out that Sheringham is playing more football, and getting less rest, at an age when most players are used increasingly sparingly.

It is one thing being an admirer of your key striker, as Hoddle is.

It is quite another to like him so much you come dangerously close to negating his skills.

Sheringham himself insists that his fitness is not a concern.

"At 35 years and 11 months, I don't think there is a lot of difference from how I was playing at 35 years and 10 months."

The moment of truth in the Worthington Cup final

At his best, that may be true. He remains a player with wonderful touch and an attitude towards his own physical upkeep than defines professionalism.

His game has not been about pace, and he can see a goal-scoring pass where others see just blind alleys and square balls.

A rejuvenated Sheringham would be a tremendous asset to Eriksson's England.

But he will now await next week's announcement of the squad for the friendly against Italy with some trepidation.

"I'd have felt more confident about being in it a month ago," he says.

"Things (for Spurs) have gone belly-up, and as for my own form, it might be that I'm in a bit of a dip.

"I hope I can get back in, but you never know. I'll just keep plugging away."