Tim Sherwood handed reins as Spurs axe AVB

TIM Sherwood has been handed the chance to take charge of Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the season.

TIM Sherwood has been handed the chance to take charge of Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the season after being named interim head coach following the dismissal of Andre Villas-Boas yesterday.

Sherwood, who oversees youth development at White Hart Lane but has never managed a senior team, will be in charge for the Capital One Cup quarter-final at home to West Ham United tomorrow and the Premier League match away to Southampton on Sunday, while the club considers candidates for short-term and permanent managerial roles.

Tottenham's favoured options for a long-term appointment include Cesare Prandelli, the Italy coach, Fabio Capello, who is in charge of Russia, and Mauricio Pochettino, the Southampton manager, but none is expected to be available until the (northern) summer. Sherwood will be assisted by Steffen Freund, who was assistant to Villas-Boas.

"The club can announce that Tim Sherwood, Chris Ramsey and Les Ferdinand will take charge of the first team whilst the club progresses discussions. Steffen Freund and Tony Parks continue as part of the coaching staff," a statement issued yesterday read.

Sherwood played for the club for four years from 1999 and returned after Harry Redknapp took charge in 2008. The 44-year-old was approached to take over at Blackburn Rovers last year but they were unwilling to pay pound stg. 1 million in compensation to release him from his contract and he has since been considered for managerial posts at Brighton & Hove Albion and Swansea City when it appeared that Michael Laudrup would leave.

Tottenham sounded out Jurgen Klinsmann but the club's former striker turned down the chance before he signed a new four-year contract with the US national team last week and they also received a negative response from Dutchman Guus Hiddink.

Rafael Benitez, the Napoli coach, would come under consideration, having spoken to Tottenham before Villas-Boas was appointed in July last year. The Spaniard was led to believe that the club's priority at that time was finding a younger manager.

The decision to dismiss Villas-Boas was made in a meeting involving chairman Daniel Levy technical director Franco Baldini after the 5-0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday. Villas-Boas and three of his Portuguese backroom staff were sacked by Levy at the training ground yesterday before the head coach was given the chance to say goodbye to the players.

Villas-Boas will continue to be paid his contract, which had 18 months left, until he takes another post. The relationship between Levy and Villas-Boas has deteriorated since the end of last season after disagreements over transfer targets and the latter's flirtation with Paris Saint-Germain.

THE TIMES