Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has warned Roman Pavlyuchenko that he cannot afford to rest on his laurels.
The striker seemed set to quit North London in the winter transfer window and Birmingham showed an interest, but Spurs resisted and have been rewarded with goals.
Pavlyuchenko, who seemed set to leave the club in the January transfer window, has hit five goals in his last three matches for Spurs.
But Redknapp has told the Russia international that there is still plenty of work ahead if he wants to be a regular starter with Tottenham.
The Spurs boss said in The Sun: “Pav really showed his quality in our 4-0 win over Bolton in the FA Cup on Wednesday, but now he has a crucial opportunity to show all of us at White Hart Lane that he can do this on a consistent basis.
“It’s no good saying he’s done it after a decent little spell. A few good games does not make a season. He has to keep performing for Spurs.
“Russian players have generally struggled in this country with Andrei Kanchelskis at Manchester United one obvious exception.
“Pav has struggled to establish himself at Tottenham. But with the team fourth in the Premier League and in the last eight of the cup, this is a great chance for him to have positive influence on what could be a fantastic season at Spurs.
“But he needs to work harder to utilise his undoubted talent. Technically, he is a very gifted player.
“I’m lucky I also have Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Eidur Gudjohnsen and all will have important parts to play.
“In the transfer window, there were clubs interested in taking Pav. Birmingham was the only Premier League club, but there were a few in Russia, the player’s preferred choice of destination if we let him go, and elsewhere.
“But I went in with our chairman, Daniel Levy discussed the offers and we both felt that we wanted Pav to stay. Particularly as Robbie Keane was heading to Celtic.
