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Tim Sherwood fired up as Tottenham Hotspur return to Europa League Tim Sherwood fired up as Tottenham Hotspur return to Europa League
(about 1 hour later)
It was as Tottenham Hotspur led 3-0 towards the end of the first half and the anger boiled inside the Aston Villa supporters that the chant was summoned. "Sacked in the morning, you're getting sacked in the morning," the Villa fans yelled. It was as Tottenham Hotspur led 3-0 towards the end of the first half and the anger boiled inside the Aston Villa supporters that the chant was summoned. "Sacked in the morning, you're getting sacked in the morning," the Villa fans bellowed.
Down on the touchline, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, Tim Sherwood, turned to the crowd behind him. "That's a bit harsh," he said, with a smile. "We're three-nil up."Down on the touchline, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, Tim Sherwood, turned to the crowd behind him. "That's a bit harsh," he said, with a smile. "We're three-nil up."
The chant, on this occasion, was not meant for him, rather his Villa counterpart, Paul Lambert, whose prospects in the job look decidedly bleak, and not only because the club's owner, Randy Lerner, is considering whether to sell his shares. This has been another dreary season for Villa and the first-half performance here was down there with the low points. The chant, on this occasion, was not meant for him, rather his Villa counterpart, Paul Lambert, whose prospects in the job look decidedly bleak, and not only because the club's owner, Randy Lerner, who has supported him, is considering whether to sell up. This has been another dreary season for Villa and the first-half performance here was down there with the low points.
Sherwood, though, is also on borrowed time, with the Tottenham chairman, Daniel Levy, keen on a managerial upgrade. He wants Mauricio Pochettino from Southampton or, failing that, Ajax's Frank De Boer. Sherwood has been left simply to hope for a stay of execution; the opportunity to shape his vision for the club over a close season.Sherwood, though, is also on borrowed time, with the Tottenham chairman, Daniel Levy, keen on a managerial upgrade. He wants Mauricio Pochettino from Southampton or, failing that, Ajax's Frank De Boer. Sherwood has been left simply to hope for a stay of execution; the opportunity to shape his vision for the club over a close season.
It has long since passed the point of it not looking good for him and Tottenham actually had a different caretaker manager for a short while towards the end here. In the 84th minute, Sherwood beckoned a Tottenham fan down from the seats behind him, handed him his club gilet and plonked him down in his seat on the bench next to Les Ferdinand. It was knockabout stuff. The fan left the stadium in Sherwood's gilet. It has long since passed the point of it not looking good for him and Tottenham actually had a different manager for a short while towards the end. In the 84th minute, Sherwood beckoned a Tottenham fan down from the seats behind him, handed him his club gilet and plonked him into his seat on the bench next to the assistant manager, Les Ferdinand. It was knockabout stuff. The fan actually left the stadium in Sherwood's gilet.
Sherwood, at least, won this battle of the managerially damned and there was a prize, if a slightly dubious one. Tottenham's sixth-placed finish means that they have made it back into the Europa League. There has not been a tremendous appetite among the Tottenham support to qualify for Europe's second-tier competition; rather a take-it-or-leave-it indifference but Sherwood was fired up and he celebrated his team's goals as if they were cup final winners. "We've got the police looking for him because he's nicked the gilet," Sherwood said. "But it's fine. He can have it. That guy's an expert, seriously. Every week, he tells me what to do. So I have given him the opportunity to do the job."
The first one brought the biggest eruption. Christian Eriksen, Paulinho and Gylfi Sigurdsson were prominent in a slick Tottenham build-up and, suddenly, there was Paulinho, bursting in on Brad Guzan's goal. Guzan blocked Paulinho's first attempt but he was powerless to prevent the World Cup-bound Brazilian from tucking the rebound into an empty net for his eighth goal of the season. Sherwood was asked where the fan might be in the betting for the next Tottenham manager. "No chance, he's English," he replied.
The Villa fans fired the atmosphere and they brought the fancy dress colour. Farm-yard animals, clowns, Zippy and George if not Bungle, and a post box were all sighted inside the visiting enclosure and the comedy extended to their songs. "We're shit and we know we are," they chanted at 2-0 before, one goal later: "How shit must you be, it's only 3-0‚" and "Can we play you every week?" Frustration, though, seethed beneath the gallows humour. Not for the first time this season, Villa were dire. There were loud boos at half-time. Sherwood said he would be back at White Hart Lane for Ledley King's testimonial on Monday night and he was unclear about when he would have the meeting with Levy that will determine his future. But he said it was important for everybody that a quick decision was made. He added that Levy should either sack him or give him a new contract to replace his current deal, which expires in 2015.
With Paulinho at the tip of a midfield diamond, Tottenham took the game by the scruff of the neck and they created a host of chances during the first half. Harry Kane might have had a hat-trick before the interval; Paulinho tore through but skewed his finish and Michael Dawson's header was pushed away by Guzan. "It can only be that, [otherwise] you're a supply teacher again," Sherwood said. "It will be interesting to see what I've been judged on. If I'm to leave, it can't be on [Premier League] results."
The second goal came when Danny Rose's driven centre was deflected past his own goalkeeper by Nathan Baker, who had jumped with Emmanuel Adebayor and the third followed Gabby Agbonlahor's ill-advised decision to move his arm towards Sandro's shot. Adebayor crashed the penalty into the roof of the net. The Villa supporters staged a mock celebration when Ashley Westwood fizzed a 45th-minute shot narrowly wide. Lambert could not guarantee that he would be at Villa's end-of-season awards bash on Tuesday night. "I intend to be there," he said. "I have just bought a bow tie. I don't want to pay £3 for a bow tie and not turn up."
The second half was tantamount to a non-event, with the highlights coming from the Villa fans and Sherwood. Fabian Delph shot just wide and, on 81 minutes, he had another effort saved by Hugo Lloris, which sparked wild scenes in the travelling seats. At the other end, Kane almost got the goal that his efforts deserved only to collide with Guzan, who had left his area, as they chased a long ball. Sherwood won this battle of the managerially damned and there was a prize, if a slightly dubious one. Tottenham's sixth placed finish means that they have made it back into the Europa League.
Tottenham started brightly for a change and they might have run up a cricket score before the interval and the non-event that was the second-half. Harry Kane could have had a hat-trick; Paulinho skewed a shot and Brad Guzan saved from Michael Dawson.
Paulinho scored the opening goal after a slick Tottenham move while the second deflected in off Nathan Baker, following Danny Rose's cross. Emmanuel Adebayor got the third from the penalty spot after Gabby Agbonlahor's handball.
Man of the match Paulinho (Tottenham)