Sherwood left hanging by sack talk

Tottenham head coach Tim Sherwood believes uncertainty surrounding his future has left him as vulnerable as a school substitute teacher.

The 45-year-old has been dealing with constant speculation over his job at White Hart Lane since he penned an 18-month contract in December, having replaced Andre Villas-Boas.

The likes of Frank De Boer, Louis van Gaal and Mauricio Pochettino have been linked to the Tottenham hot-seat for some time now — with Sherwood refusing to be drawn into the ongoing chain of rumours.

Former Norwich and Blackburn midfielder Sherwood feels he would need a full season to put his own stamp on the team.

“People will always judge on what I’ve come in and done,” he said.

“You’re absolutely right, it’s imperative to have a pre-season and bed your ideas in. And also I’m doing it with a lot of uncertainty around my future.

“If you have a supply (sub) teacher who comes into your school, sometimes they’re not treated with the respect that a headmaster is.”

Midfielder Sandro, who has fallen out of favour since Sherwood’s appointment, said on Thursday that he is under the impression there will be a change at the top after Sunday’s final Premier League game against Aston Villa.

“He [Sherwood] will leave at the end of the season,” Sandro was quoted as telling ESPN Brazil, when asked about his own future.

“Then, new coach, new everything. I do not know anything yet, but I’m happy to have my name talked about with a club the size of Sao Paulo. Anyway, it would be very difficult to leave on loan from here.

“If I was to leave, it would have to be permanently and it is not close.”

Sherwood hit back in his press conference ahead of the Villa game, questioning where Sandro had acquired such information while also admitting his situation means players are starting to knock on his door.

“If I need any information, I’m better off asking the players,” Sherwood said.

“He is not the first player to have asked me. He hasn’t actually asked me, he has just given his opinion to someone.

“I’m not sure if the chairman has spoken to Sandro but obviously someone has told him, the players see a lot of speculation don’t they?

“It begins to be more than that, I have had a lot of players come to me and say their agents have told them that I’m not going to be here next year, it is a very difficult situation but I have got to get on with it.”

Despite the rumours over his uncertain future, Sherwood has a good record in the Premier League and a point at home tomorrow would guarantee qualification for next season’s Europa League.

Villa boss Paul Lambert also has no idea if he will still be in his job next season.

Speculation surrounds both his future and that of Villa in general, with American owner Randy Lerner rumoured to be considering selling up.

Asked whether he thinks he will still be at Villa Park next season, Lambert said: “I don’t know. I’ll say it once and once only: I don’t know what the statement from the chairman is going to say.

“My job is to keep this club up and protect everybody else and that’s what I’ve done.”