Controversy has been sparked at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club after a supposed golf break to Ireland may have instead been a night on the town.

The Sun reports that striker Robbie Keane had arranged the trip and told boss Harry Redknapp that it was designed to play golf, something he was fine with.

However, the publication notes that the £2,000 paid by each of the 16 players heading on the break was not to hit the golf courses of Dublin with their golf irons and golf balls, but instead to enjoy a night in bars and clubs.

Meanwhile, there are suggestions that the break may have potentially caused some players to lose focus on the task ahead for Tottenham in the English Premier League, as four days after their return they suffered a 1-0 home defeat against relegation candidates Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Redknapp told the Sun: "Wednesday (December 9th) was their day off and Robbie told me they were going to Ireland to play golf. I had no problem with that.

"However, it is widely known that I do not approve of Christmas parties and I've always made it clear players should only drink in moderation. Whatever happened in Ireland, I do not accept it had any effect on the result against Wolves."

Meanwhile, Redknapp's son Jamie is a keen golfer and revealed in an interview with the Times in 2006 that he regularly hits the course with former England rugby star Matt Dawson and plays off a handicap of 12.

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