Hoddle denies morale is low as Sheringham says farewell

The Tottenham manager, Glenn Hoddle, insists team spirit at White Hart Lane is good despite the recent critical remarks made by former player Tim Sherwood.

The midfielder Sherwood, who left the club for Portsmouth earlier this year, claimed that Hoddle had lost the respect of the players.

The former England coach Hoddle refutes the claims and also any suggestions that he is arrogant by asserting that morale in the camp is good.

He said: "At the end of the day you can talk to whoever you want to talk to and you will find this is not the case. There are plenty of players out there who would say the opposite. I'm not here to justify how the club is run or whatever we do football-wise. What we do is in-house and if Sherwood has got his opinions he is welcome to them."

Spurs wrap up their season with a home encounter against Blackburn today and Hoddle is determined they should go out on a high after last week's 5-1 thrashing by Middlesbrough.

A draw or better will deny Blackburn the Uefa Cup qualification Graeme Souness so covets a year after Rovers blocked Spurs' European path by beating them in the Worthington Cup final.

A home win could also increase the North London club's income by some £500,000 under the Premiership merit ratings, but for Hoddle the match is more about pride and passion than money.

Jamie Redknapp, who went on at half-time at Middlesbrough last week and scored, is definitely in the squad and could make the starting line-up after reporting no ill-effects after five months out with a fractured foot.

Hoddle, who also has Christian Ziege back in contention, was delighted with Redknapp's performance and claimed: "We've missed his talent. It's been too long for us and too long for him out of the side.

"We want to finish the season on a high in front of our home fans. We need three points to get ourselves in a better position in the league and that is what Sunday is about."

Teddy Sheringham will lead the line for the last time in a Spurs shirt after the club confirmed their decision to release him last week.

Hoddle added: "Teddy has done a fantastic job for us but we have also been good for Teddy. It is always difficult to come back for a second spell at a club but he has done very well for us.

"We would have needed a bigger squad if we had got into Europe, and we would certainly have had a bigger budget, and that was the key decision on whether Teddy stayed or was released.

"He has always made it clear he wanted to stay here as a player and if that wasn't going to be, he has other options.

"He has been a very influential number 10 across the years, done a fantastic job for the club, and it would be nice to see him go out on a high against Blackburn on Sunday."