IT may not have had the high drama of their defeat of Inter three weeks ago, but Spurs marked another milestone on their European journey by qualifying for the knock-out stages of the Champions League last night with this easy win over Werder Bremen.

Portsmouth 1 Coventry 1

Portsmouth 1 Coventry 1

MANAGERS, or the best ones at any rate, are alchemists. Their ability to transform base matches into precious points is what makes them so highly coveted and Juande Ramos, whose €7.8million-a-year salary reputedly makes him the best paid coach in world club football, is proving something of a bargain for Tottenham Hotspur.

The scale of Spurs’ success must be measured against the shortcomings of their opponents, however, as Wigan looked every inch a doomed side with seven straight losses.