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Ramos won't blame Berbatov

24 Aug 2008 - 10:22:13

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Tottenham Hotspur head coach Juande Ramos refused to blame Dimitar Berbatov's absence for his side's 2-1 defeat at Sunderland.

Ramos decided to drop Berbatov from his 18-man squad just hours before kick-off at White Hart Lane after holding talks with the unsettled striker.

The omission of the Bulgaria striker has increased speculation that he is on the verge of ending his two-year spell in north London to join Manchester United.

But after Djibril Cisse's 83rd minute winner condemned Spurs to a second straight league defeat, Ramos denied the result was influenced by the absence of the influential marksman.

"It's not about individuals," he said. "The blame is with the team and we accept that blame together.

"He wasn't in the squad because he wasn't in the right condition to play."

Ramos will now hold showdown talks with Berbatov on Sunday before making a decision on the future of the former Bayer Leverkusen hitman.

"It's a situation that is very personal. There are players able to play under these circumstances and others whose head is not right. Berbatov is in the latter category," he continued.

"We'll have a meeting with the player and clarify a few points and see if there is a decision to be made.

"We'll meet primarily to know if he is in any state to play in the next match or we have to find another solution."