Ramos' interview before PSV

Juande Ramos believes Tottenham Hotspur's clash against PSV Eindhoven will provide the gauge of his UEFA Cup hat-trick chances - and an assessment of which players he wants to keep for next season.


Ramos has brought silverware to White Hart Lane within four months but was fuming the weekend after lifting the Carling Cup, refusing to address his players following the heavy defeat at Birmingham.


The Spaniard explained that he did not want to say something he regretted; the players were given Sunday off as usual and then preparations started for the last-16 clash against Dutch champions PSV.

'They have three months to show their strengths,' said head coach Ramos. 'There are many minutes on the pitch and if they show they are capable of playing for this club in that time then they will stay.'

Ramos has won the UEFA Cup with Sevilla in the last two seasons but remains cautious about his chances this season, given Spurs' inconsistency.

'It's an important test, PSV are at a high level and this is a barometer of where we can go and if we can compete at that level,' said Ramos. 'Then I will know if my players have the ability for this stage.'

Ramos' work since taking over from Martin Jol has transformed the fortunes of Spurs, and the current head coach rated the performance against Chelsea at Wembley as impressive as Arsenal's in Milan this week.

'Arsenal were magnificent and deserved their victory over two legs. But I'm not jealous, we played similarly good football in the Carling Cup final,' he said.

However, for every memorable victory there has also been a collapse like the one suffered at St Andrews on Saturday.

Ramos said, in English: 'Do you remember the second half against Slavia Prague?'

He added: 'The Birmingham defeat hurt me and the players and they are desperate to rectify it.

'I don't think it was to do with how we celebrated winning a cup, we were found out because we went into the game not thinking it was important. I'm glad we celebrated but we weren't prepared for the next game.'

Going from one extreme to another on a weekly basis has enhanced Ramos' reputation as a disciplinarian, with the Spaniard shouting at his players from the sidelines and showing a ruthless streak in his selection policy. He describes his style as 'just'.

'You have to treat every individual as an individual. Sometimes you have to show them affection, sometimes you have to shout at them,' he added.

'It's like a child, sometimes you have to give them a sweet, when they are bad you have to shout at them.'

The result is that he is likely to change his squad in the summer, and there is believed to be interest in goalkeeper Carlos Kameni and defender Dani Jarque, both of Espanyol.

Ernesto Valverde, coach of the Spanish side, said: 'There is too much talk and it creates a feeling where it seems everybody is going to leave.

'What has to happen we will see at the end of the season.'

Ramos has defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King back in the squad for the first-leg clash against PSV.

Woodgate has been out with a sprained ankle, while King is being brought back gradually from his knee surgery last summer.

King's injury is still being continually assessed to determine which games he will be able to play in.

'At the moment it is how his knee comes on and how it gets better,' Ramos said. 'From then on we can decide if it's going to be more stable and he can then play more games. It's not something we can decide at the moment.'

Spurs will parade the Carling Cup for their fans ahead of kick-off against PSV, with the mood of club changing after ending their trophy drought.

Ramos had his players diving on the floor in training, and he joked: 'They were practising the celebrations if we win the UEFA Cup.'