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Sherwood was gloriously off-message and it created waves at Spurs Tim Sherwood was gloriously off-message and it created waves
(about 5 hours later)
It was a night of celebration and no little horseplay. The highlights of Ledley King's richly deserved Tottenham Hotspur testimonial at White Hart Lane on Monday included the defender's former team-mates Michael Dawson and Younès Kaboul wrestling him to the ground inside the area so that he could win and convert a penalty.It was a night of celebration and no little horseplay. The highlights of Ledley King's richly deserved Tottenham Hotspur testimonial at White Hart Lane on Monday included the defender's former team-mates Michael Dawson and Younès Kaboul wrestling him to the ground inside the area so that he could win and convert a penalty.
There was Howard Webb dispossessing Lewis Holtby and playing a couple of passes before the Tottenham midfielder hunted down the referee to send him sprawling with a slide tackle. That drew a laugh from the near-capacity crowd. A fan also ran the line for a while as the assistant referee.There was Howard Webb dispossessing Lewis Holtby and playing a couple of passes before the Tottenham midfielder hunted down the referee to send him sprawling with a slide tackle. That drew a laugh from the near-capacity crowd. A fan also ran the line for a while as the assistant referee.
But where Tim Sherwood was concerned, there was little affection. He had taken managerial charge of a Spurs team for the last time – in this case, King's Guest XI, which, incidentally, was pretty handy, with David Ginola, Teddy Sheringham and Dimitar Berbatov – and when Sherwood's name was announced before the kick-off, it was greeted by boos from a section of the support.But where Tim Sherwood was concerned, there was little affection. He had taken managerial charge of a Spurs team for the last time – in this case, King's Guest XI, which, incidentally, was pretty handy, with David Ginola, Teddy Sheringham and Dimitar Berbatov – and when Sherwood's name was announced before the kick-off, it was greeted by boos from a section of the support.
Sherwood is now a Tottenham statistic, the ninth manager to have left in 13 years under Daniel Levy's chairmanship and he departs wondering what more he could have done. Up until the end he was advancing the numbers, chiefly his 59%win-percentage in the Premier League, which stacks up extremely favourably in comparison to his predecessors.Sherwood is now a Tottenham statistic, the ninth manager to have left in 13 years under Daniel Levy's chairmanship and he departs wondering what more he could have done. Up until the end he was advancing the numbers, chiefly his 59%win-percentage in the Premier League, which stacks up extremely favourably in comparison to his predecessors.
The plainer stat was the 42 points that he took from his 22 matches. Transpose it across 38 games and you get 72.5 points. Champions League form, Sherwood suggested on Sunday night, and if that was not quite accurate, it would still have put Tottenham in fifth place at the end of this past season which, he believes, is just about their level at present.The plainer stat was the 42 points that he took from his 22 matches. Transpose it across 38 games and you get 72.5 points. Champions League form, Sherwood suggested on Sunday night, and if that was not quite accurate, it would still have put Tottenham in fifth place at the end of this past season which, he believes, is just about their level at present.
The case for Sherwood takes in other factors. He was parachuted in midway through the season to succeed André Villas-Boas, inheriting a squad that was not this own and with no pre-season to hammer home his methods. The club's seven signings from last summer, who had no Premier League experience, were always likely to need a season to settle while nobody sells a talent like Gareth Bale without feeling the pinch.The case for Sherwood takes in other factors. He was parachuted in midway through the season to succeed André Villas-Boas, inheriting a squad that was not this own and with no pre-season to hammer home his methods. The club's seven signings from last summer, who had no Premier League experience, were always likely to need a season to settle while nobody sells a talent like Gareth Bale without feeling the pinch.
Sherwood's results, under what have been trying circumstances, were solid, at the very least, and there was surely merit in his commitment to promoting players from the youth ranks; towards a more joined-up approach from the bottom to the top.Sherwood's results, under what have been trying circumstances, were solid, at the very least, and there was surely merit in his commitment to promoting players from the youth ranks; towards a more joined-up approach from the bottom to the top.
Few people, though, want to hear anything from Sherwood's point of view, least of all Levy. As was stressed again by the club in the statement at 12.15pm that confirmed his departure, there is the belief that the squad has some very talented players and, in short, they should be finishing higher up the table. In other words, in the Champions League places. There is nowhere else to go from fifth or sixth.Few people, though, want to hear anything from Sherwood's point of view, least of all Levy. As was stressed again by the club in the statement at 12.15pm that confirmed his departure, there is the belief that the squad has some very talented players and, in short, they should be finishing higher up the table. In other words, in the Champions League places. There is nowhere else to go from fifth or sixth.
Sherwood missed out on the top four and he is now looking for another job. Villas-Boas went when Levy lost faith in his ability to get the club into the top four and Harry Redknapp went despite finishing fourth in 2012. Tottenham, of course, were denied Champions League qualification that season after Chelsea won the competition and one of the great unanswered questions concerns whether Levy would have sacked Redknapp if Chelsea had lost the final to Bayern Munich.Sherwood missed out on the top four and he is now looking for another job. Villas-Boas went when Levy lost faith in his ability to get the club into the top four and Harry Redknapp went despite finishing fourth in 2012. Tottenham, of course, were denied Champions League qualification that season after Chelsea won the competition and one of the great unanswered questions concerns whether Levy would have sacked Redknapp if Chelsea had lost the final to Bayern Munich.
The bottom line is that Levy is driven by establishing Tottenham in the top four. "That's not what it's just about," he wrote in the programme for Sunday's final day victory over Aston Villa. He talked of the "sense of falling short, felt by all" being "based on some poor performances during the season". He added: "Even in games where we gained maximum points, our football was not always what we have come to expect and associate with our club."The bottom line is that Levy is driven by establishing Tottenham in the top four. "That's not what it's just about," he wrote in the programme for Sunday's final day victory over Aston Villa. He talked of the "sense of falling short, felt by all" being "based on some poor performances during the season". He added: "Even in games where we gained maximum points, our football was not always what we have come to expect and associate with our club."
So Levy wants a top-four place and entertaining football, and he has hardly shown himself to be the tolerant sort when expectations are not met. Mauricio Pochettino, Frank de Boer or even Rafael Benítez, with whom Tottenham have taken discreet soundings, will know that if they come to White Hart Lane their margins for error will be zero.So Levy wants a top-four place and entertaining football, and he has hardly shown himself to be the tolerant sort when expectations are not met. Mauricio Pochettino, Frank de Boer or even Rafael Benítez, with whom Tottenham have taken discreet soundings, will know that if they come to White Hart Lane their margins for error will be zero.
The very notion was put to Villas-Boas when he took over after Redknapp's fourth-placed finish and he responded by saying that Spurs ought to be challenging for the title. Levy likes that, for the manager to articulate the club's ambition in public. One of his gripes about Martin Jol, whom he sacked in 2007, was that the Dutchman was unwilling to talk up Tottenham's potential to qualify for the Champions League.The very notion was put to Villas-Boas when he took over after Redknapp's fourth-placed finish and he responded by saying that Spurs ought to be challenging for the title. Levy likes that, for the manager to articulate the club's ambition in public. One of his gripes about Martin Jol, whom he sacked in 2007, was that the Dutchman was unwilling to talk up Tottenham's potential to qualify for the Champions League.
Jol, though, felt that his stance was underpinned by realism and Sherwood was of a similar mind. "Why have we got a divine right to qualify for the Champions League?" he said on Sunday. "Where we finished, qualifying for the Europa League, is where we are. We're not getting there [to the Champions League]."Jol, though, felt that his stance was underpinned by realism and Sherwood was of a similar mind. "Why have we got a divine right to qualify for the Champions League?" he said on Sunday. "Where we finished, qualifying for the Europa League, is where we are. We're not getting there [to the Champions League]."
Levy's new manager will know what he has to do and he might also need to be more of a politician than Sherwood, who was always too willing to fling the gilet around and go nose-to-nose with just about anyone, from rival coaches to his own players, directors and fans.Levy's new manager will know what he has to do and he might also need to be more of a politician than Sherwood, who was always too willing to fling the gilet around and go nose-to-nose with just about anyone, from rival coaches to his own players, directors and fans.
His criticism was regularly stinging, with choice cuts being the assertion that some of the players "think they're doing us a favour by being Tottenham players" and that the club's transfer policy last summer was flawed.His criticism was regularly stinging, with choice cuts being the assertion that some of the players "think they're doing us a favour by being Tottenham players" and that the club's transfer policy last summer was flawed.
Sherwood was never going to be merely grateful to be granted the opportunity at Tottenham, to begin his managerial career at a very high level. He is a man who says what he thinks and if you cannot handle it, then you are the softie or the fool. There was something gloriously off-message about his approach but, inevitably, it created waves and even Sherwood suspected that Levy judged him on more than results.Sherwood was never going to be merely grateful to be granted the opportunity at Tottenham, to begin his managerial career at a very high level. He is a man who says what he thinks and if you cannot handle it, then you are the softie or the fool. There was something gloriously off-message about his approach but, inevitably, it created waves and even Sherwood suspected that Levy judged him on more than results.
Many Tottenham people came to find Sherwood to be too outspoken. Redknapp could be as well but he took the club to places. Sherwood was more outspoken than him. Then, there was the thing about Sherwood having supported Arsenal as a boy. That never sat well with the Tottenham diehards.Many Tottenham people came to find Sherwood to be too outspoken. Redknapp could be as well but he took the club to places. Sherwood was more outspoken than him. Then, there was the thing about Sherwood having supported Arsenal as a boy. That never sat well with the Tottenham diehards.
In the end, though, Sherwood has gone because, like Villas-Boas earlier in the season, his results against the big clubs, the ones whom Tottenham aspire to rival, were poor. His team lost by four goals to Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool. "What I've learned is that you can't win unless you win," Sherwood said. "No one wants anything dressed up. If you win, it covers over a multitude of sins. Winning is everything."In the end, though, Sherwood has gone because, like Villas-Boas earlier in the season, his results against the big clubs, the ones whom Tottenham aspire to rival, were poor. His team lost by four goals to Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool. "What I've learned is that you can't win unless you win," Sherwood said. "No one wants anything dressed up. If you win, it covers over a multitude of sins. Winning is everything."