Sherwood: Spurs don't need big boss

25 April 2014 22:17

Tim Sherwood's unparalleled win ratio does not look like being enough to keep him at Tottenham past the summer and the under-fire head coach has warned the club to look beyond making a big-name appointment.

A promising start to life after replacing Andre Villas-Boas in December has fizzled out in recent months, leading to ever-increasing speculation about the former midfielder's future.

Sherwood is widely-expected to see his 18-month contract at White Hart Lane ripped up in the summer, with Mauricio Pochettino, Frank de Boer and Louis van Gaal amongst the bookmakers' favourites to replace him.

David Moyes is also reportedly in the running fresh from his sacking by Manchester United, where many deemed his name not to be big enough, and that is a path Sherwood has urged Spurs - burned in the past by the likes of Jacques Santini and Juande Ramos - not to follow.

"It's important for the club, and for any club, to know what they want and not to just get anyone as they are the biggest name who can appease the fans for 10 minutes," Sherwood said.

"Those guys still get the sack wherever they go, so it's about getting the right man for the right job and the right fit. The game has gone crazy.

"I'm watching a game the other day and you are getting people criticising Pep Guardiola. What is the world coming to?"

An outsider would likely come to the same conclusion about the pressure Sherwood is under if they formed their opinion purely based on statistics.

Forget Villas-Boas, Harry Redknapp and Martin Jol, it is the current incumbent and his 58 per cent win ratio that is the best of any Tottenham manager in the Premier League era.

"The record's good - it is better than any Premier League manager in the history of this club," he said.

"In the Premier League the results have been there so I can't complain about that. Hopefully they will continue from now until the end of the season.

"But whatever happens, I can hold up my head and say I've done a decent job in the Premier League.

"There has been no-one at this club who has done a better job in the Premier League. My record stands for itself."

Sherwood has previously said, having held the top job, he would not be able to work as an assistant, yet he would be a major asset for any potential new Spurs boss given his years of work within their youth set-up.

The head coach focuses strongly on young talent and points to the likes of the Neville brothers, Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard as proof that home-grown players are best for football clubs.

The latter duo have written themselves into club folklore at Liverpool and highlight what the Spurs head coach believes is a difference in mentality at a club like Spurs.

"Liverpool are a different kettle of fish to us," he said. "Home-grown players at Liverpool are embraced.

"They love home-grown players at Liverpool Football Club. Tottenham fans like signings.

"Ledley King is a legend here but it took him a lot of time to achieve that. To be one of the best players. Look at the other home-grown players. Do they get much time? Do they get a lot of pressure?

"Harry Kane scored three in three but if he has not scored in half an hour they are still signing Robbie's (Roberto Soldado) name to come on. It is very difficult."

Source: PA