Jermain Defoe as good as Falcao and Harry Redknapp has no chance of signing him, insists Andre Villas-Boas The Tottenham manager's belief in Defoe is so strong that he even considers the England striker to be on a par with Radamel Falcao - the Colombian striker who scored bags of goals for Villas-Boas at FC Porto and is now setting the Spanish league alight with Atletico Madrid. "He is one of the best strikers I have worked with," Villas-Boas said of Defoe, who has scored 10 times for Spurs this year. That makes things easier for you to work with because you don't have to teach a lot. I don't have a lot of experience. The experience I have is with a couple of strikers, but I put him up there with the best. He smells every cross and when the opportunity is there to tap it in. Plus he has the ability to turn on the defenders and he still has the pace in him to cause chaos. Villas-Boas refused to take a similar stance on Michael Dawson, however. Dawson turned down a £9 million move to Loftus Road in the summer, but Redknapp is thought to be interested in signing the Spurs skipper in January. "I think if that possibility arises we will have to consider it," said Villas-Boas, who has only given Dawson one league start this term. But we're not looking to make a lot in the January transfer window. Villas-Boas is all too aware of the high expectations placed upon him after Redknapp guided Tottenham to fourth, fifth and fourth during his three full seasons at the north London club. The Portuguese could be forgiven for bemoaning Redknapp's return to top-flight football, but the Spurs manager is happy to see his predecessor back in the game - and he has no doubt the west London club will survive under his leadership. "It's good for the game that he is back," Villas-Boas said. He's a manager with more experience in the Premier League, a respected manager who is used to making impossible things turn possible. It is the kind of challenge that makes him even more motivated. I would put on a bet if I could that they would save themselves.