The Tottenham Hotspur football team could be investing in Yoga equipment this season as they seek to become stronger and suppler than their rivals in the Europa League.

Manager and former footballer Harry Redknapp explained that his squad have taken up Yoga after goalkeeper Brad Friedel's instructor came on board to devise a new warm-up regime.

"We have been getting into doing the Yoga and I think pilates is just an amazing thing," commented Mr Redknapp.

"It's great for them so they are all doing it now. I think it makes them supple. I joined in last week with all the coaches. I had sciatica for the next three nights, so I went missing when they were doing it next. But it's a great thing to do.

"When I started out as a manager, we didn't know what Yoga was. You didn't even go on the pitch before the game. It didn't happen when England won the World Cup at Wembley," he noted.

"Brad Friedel started it here. He brought a lady in to start doing the Yoga and if it's good enough for Brad with the shape he's in at 40, then it's good enough for the rest of us."

Full-back player Danny Rose has particularly enjoyed using Yoga mats to regain strength after suffering from thigh and ankle injuries, saying the Yoga classes are "a lot of fun".

''We have these Yoga gurus coming in once a week. It's all right. I'd take Yoga and pilates over running up and down hills any day," the premiership star added.

Ryan Giggs is also enjoying the stretching sessions, which Mr Redknapp said has kept him in good shape for the football season.

Giggs, who credited his Yoga instructor in his BBC sports personality of the year award acceptance speech in 2009, has been using Yoga mats for around seven years now and believes it helps him in his field.

Posted by Freya Harper