Sheringham is sure to be missed by Spurs

THE first time Teddy Sheringham left Tottenham it marked the beginning of a decline in the club’s fortunes, such was the influence of the then-England striker on the team.

When Sheringham walks out of White Hart Lane on Sunday for the second time in his career it is unlikely to have quite the same effect on the club, but there is no doubt his loss will be felt by several players at Spurs.

Sheringham is a player who brings the best out of other people on the football field.

He has one of the best brains in the business, and what he lacks in pace on the pitch he more than makes up for with his tactical awareness and speed of thought.

The 37-year-old declined to speak yesterday after Tottenham confirmed they would not be renewing his contract next season, he spent the day on the golf course with Colin Montgomerie instead.

But there is no doubt he will be hurting inside after learning the club's decision, especially as when Sheringham returned to Tottenham two years ago he revealed he hoped to one day to manage the club.

It is likely the 37-year-old will try to play for one more season in the Premiership and there are sure to be a number of clubs after his signature now he is a free agent, with the likes of Harry Redknapp leading the chase at Portsmouth.

But if he does move into management, he will be able to tap into the knowledge of an impressive list of former bosses.

Sheringham started his career under George Graham at Millwall, moved on to Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest, then Terry Venables at Spurs, Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, and now Glenn Hoddle at White Hart Lane.

He even hinted at wanting to replace Hoddle one day when he re-signed for Spurs and said: "Football has been my life, it is all I have known for the past 20-odd years, so managing would be a natural progression for me.

"Spurs have always been my team so it would be nice to think I may end up managing here, but hopefully that is in the distance."

Sheringham will complete his second spell at the north London club the team he has supported since his childhood on Sunday, bowing out in the game at home to Blackburn.

He first joined Spurs in 1991, but he fell out with former chairman Alan Sugar, complaining the club lacked the ambition to sign the players required to compete at the highest level, and left for Manchester United in a £3.5m deal in June 1997.

Sir Alex Ferguson does not get it wrong too often, and when he chose Sheringham as the man to follow in the footsteps of Eric Cantona he knew exactly what he was doing.

After a slow start to his Old Trafford career, Sheringham played a key role in helping the club win the famous treble, and in his final season there he scored 21 goals and was voted footballer of the year by both the Professional Footballers' Association and the Football Writers' Association.

Then, with Spurs under new ownership and a new manager in Hoddle, he was tempted back to the place he liked to call "home" in 2001 and enjoyed another influential spell at White Hart Lane, narrowly missing out on a Worthington Cup winner's medal in his first season.

Sheringham has made 37 league and cup appearances this season, scoring 13 goals, and Hoddle paid tribute to him yesterday when he said: "Teddy has performed a great service for us, not just on the field but by setting such a superb example for our younger players.

"He has also just completed another marvellous season for the club and we wish him well in the future."

Sheringham is a man whose steely glare shows little emotion both on and off the pitch, but there might just be a tear in his eye as he walks away from White Hart Lane on Sunday.