London: Tim Sherwood staked his claim to be Tottenham Hotspur's next permanent manager on Friday as he prepared for his second match in temporary charge since Andre Villas-Boas was sacked this week.
The former Spurs midfielder, who has been involved with coaching the club's young players since 2008, was put in control of the first team for Wednesday's League Cup defeat by West Ham United and will take the side to Southampton on Sunday.
Quite what chairman Daniel Levy has in mind for the north London club is unclear, however, with Sherwood saying he is still to sit down and talk about his future.
At a news conference on Friday, however, the 44-year-old Sherwood was in confident mood.
"I know all about the football club, I've played here - it is my club," he told reporters. "I know what the supporters want and I know what they demand. I know the players who we have got here, I know the good young talent that's coming through the club. The club and the manager have to be compatible, it's not always about the biggest name, you might do well at another club, but you might not do well at this one. If it was down to me I'm getting a 10-year contract now. But football doesn't work like that, it's all about getting results."
Sherwood, who captained Blackburn Rovers to the Premier League title in 1995, admitted that he would not want to work as an assistant to a new manager and that he must also consider whether the role was right for him in the long-term.
"Not for me to be honest, I wouldn't want that," he said. I need to talk about philosophies, what are we looking to do, are we looking to buy players, or are we looking to bring them through. All of this has got to be taken into consideration when I decide whether it is right enough for me or not. It's up to the chairman and the board to make the correct decision that's right for the long-term future of the club as it's not good to keep changing managers. I listen to managers all the time talking about 'the project'. The project is you win games or you get sacked - end of story."
Sherwood's short-term focus is reviving the club's faltering season at the start of a hectic Christmas schedule.
Seventh-placed Spurs are only five points behind the top four but last week's 5-0 home drubbing by Liverpool and last month's 6-0 thrashing at Manchester City have eroded confidence.
"It's going to be a very tough game down there, we know what to expect from Southampton," Sherwood said. He (Southampton coach Mauricio Pochettino) has got his team playing a very high-press game with a quick tempo."
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