Tony Parks is set to become Tottenham's new goalkeeping coach after Ray Clemence and Portsmouth's David Coles turned down the position.

Clemence, who was England's senior goalkeeping coach from 1996 until 2007, was wanted by his former club to help struggling Heurelho Gomes after boss Harry Redknapp sacked Hans Leitert earlier this week.

But Clemence, who is believed to have recommended Parks for the role, will instead continue his work with Fabio Capello's England set-up.

Clemence played for Spurs from 1981 until 1988, before joining the coaching staff and becoming joint-manager with Doug Livermore during the 1992-93 campaign.

Parks, the hero of Spurs 1984 UEFA Cup Final penalty shoot-out win, has been responsible for goalkeepers' development at youth level for England, and knows Spurs' England Under-19 goalkeeper David Button well.

Parks was at White Hart Lane from 1980 until 1988, but made only 37 first-team appearances for the club, often finding his route to the starting XI blocked by Clemence.

Redknapp had hoped that Coles would join him at Tottenham in January and persuade David James to move to London as well.

But Portsmouth wanted the goalkeeping coach to stay and he has signed a new contract which will keep him at Fratton Park until 2011.

Portsmouth manager Tony Adams has already vowed that James is not for sale, but he has a much easier task of keeping him now that the influential coach is not joining Spurs.

Parks's first task will be to restore the battered confidence of Gomes, who has made a string of high-profile mistakes since joining Spurs from PSV Eindhoven in a £7.8million summer deal.

Redknapp has vowed to stand by the Brazilian for Sunday's match at home to Blackburn but may decide to play No2 Cesar Sanchez.

The former Champions League winner with Real Madrid said today that he is ready to play and that moving to England had helped to give him a new hunger. He said: "I've honestly felt the same pride and hunger to play which I first felt back when I was an 18-year-old breaking into top level football.

"I've played a lot in the reserve team [for Spurs] and when you tell friends in Spain about that people think that it's strange.

"In Spain if you are forced to play with the 'B' team it's seen as degrading to a senior pro.

"But I've learned what Premier League reserve football is about and I've seen both Didier Drogba and Cesc Fabregas getting their sharpness back in the same way.

"It's been rejuvenating for me. In fact even though I cannot pretend that the whole business of uprooting my family and changing my career to a different footballing culture and country at this age hasn't been hard work it remains a fantastic decision."

The 37 year old, who joined from Real Zaragoza in the summer, had to replace Gomes during the Carling Cup win over Liverpool and feels ready to do the same again.

He added: "I was bowled over by the reception from the Spurs crowd - they'd never seen me play but they chanted my name and dedicated a song to me. I was quite emotional.

"This is a demanding club and I'm okay with waiting my turn because it's not like coming to England aged 27 where you can't be patient because you need to play every week.

"I'm totally delighted with my decision to move to London."