Tim Sherwood is about to have his photograph taken when he spies an offensive image on the wall behind. He winces. ‘Oh, get that down, I can’t have that in the background,’ Sherwood insists. The insulting item is swiftly removed from his office. ‘It’s not like it’s a trophy,’ he says. ‘You can’t have an open top parade.’

The object in question is a framed commemoration of a match played on April 29, 2013. Aston Villa 6 Sunderland 1.

Sherwood means no disrespect but it pains him that a single fixture, from almost two years ago, is still being celebrated. Not that he wouldn’t settle for a fluky 1-0 against the run of play when the teams meet in seven days’ time. It’s just that rejoicing in one gloriously ancient 90-minute spell almost sums up Villa’s dwindling expectations. Gates are down, goals are down, confidence has been low.

Tim Sherwood poses for a picture in his office at Aston Villa's training ground before talking to Sportsmail

Sherwood was in good spirits as he sat down with Daily Mail chief sports writer Martin Samuel

Sherwood, like his touchline demeanour, was full of energy during his interview with Sportsmail

Sherwood takes a minute to admire a stained glass window in his office before the interview starts

TIM SHERWOOD'S BEST BITS Read the top 10 quotes from Martin Samuel's interview with Tim Sherwood Advertisement

Sherwood surveys an immaculately manicured training ground. ‘Look at those nets,’ he says. ‘Brand new.’ And then the punchline. ‘That’s the problem, they’re actually 10 years old.’

He is a serious man, though, with a serious job.

Earlier this week, Villa recorded their first league win since December 7, over West Brom. The teams meet again in an FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday. Some think of it as respite, a match without the pressure of a fight for survival. Sherwood doesn’t agree. He needs momentum, he needs to reignite the fire.

On Tuesday, Villa Park was the liveliest it has been all season, aided by Sherwood’s inability to control his emotions on the touchline. He lived the game as intensely as any fan, by turns praying or sprinting with abandon to celebrate a goal. He knows he looks like a madman.

Sherwood went through a full range of emotions during Villa's 2-1 win over West Brom on Tuesday

Sherwood celebrates with his staff after Christian Benteke's penalty sealed a vital victory for his side

Sherwood appeals to the referee after Matt Lowton was brought down by Ben Foster in stoppage time

Sherwood shows how much victory against West Brom in the Premier League meant to him at full-time

‘I could try acting,’ he says. ‘I could sit down and make little notes and everyone would say I’ve matured. But I know that’s impossible. I can’t imagine being any different 500 games in. People thought I would calm down as a player, but I didn’t.

‘The day I retired I was the same lunatic that made his debut for Watford in 1987. I can’t believe the other managers are not as emotionally involved as I am, either. They’re all like me inside.’

The night that Villa defeated West Brom, their thunder was stolen by images of Gus Poyet and Steve Bruce having to be kept apart during Sunderland’s match with Hull City.

Sherwood sympathises. ‘It happened to me once last season with Tottenham,’ he recalls. ‘We were playing Chelsea. Nearly an hour in we had them where we wanted them. Then Jan Vertonghen makes a mistake, Younes Kaboul gets sent off, and we capitulate, lose 4-0.

‘I’m hot, I’m upset. Jose Mourinho shakes hands, doesn’t say much. Steve Holland, his assistant, comes up and he’s trying to be nice. “Unlucky mate,” he says. “You played really well in the first half.” I tell him to f*** off. Lost my temper. Called him a patronising c***. I had to phone and apologise. Still fuming, but it was my mistake. He didn’t mean it as I thought. You’re not safe in the heat of that battle.

Sherwoood says that in the heat of battle he sometimes finds it hard to control his emotions

Sherwood hopes his influence has helped Villa take a step in the right direction as they battle relegation

Sherwood believes Villa have players with the quality to keep the club in the Premier League

‘When Mourinho talks about referees and campaigns, that’s calculated. He knows what he’s doing. I saw him when Chelsea scored against Tottenham last Sunday. Tottenham were doing well until that point, but the goal went in and Mourinho turned to the bench as if it was all part of some masterplan.

‘It was like he was checking his watch. “That’s strange, 40 seconds early.” He has that way. But he’s Mourinho — he can do what he wants.

‘When you’ve got a room full of trophies and you can’t get the door shut, it’s different.’

Sherwood is 31 games into his managerial career, but he’s got firm ideas about the way he wants to play and how Villa move on, providing they stay up. It’s good to hear the voice of a young, opinionated English manager, in an age when even Brentford think only an imported intellect can fulfil their ambitions. The positive crowd reaction to a more open style — and a rare win — has merely confirmed his belief Villa cannot grind out results for survival.

‘We’re like Everton,’ he explains. ‘I don’t think we’ve got a group of players who are cut out for a relegation battle. We can’t be the Crystal Palace of last year, or the West Brom of this year. Digging in, blood and thunder, lump the ball in, protecting a lead, that’s not us.

Benteke, pictured in training earlier this week, scored the winning goal for Villa against West Brom

Scott Sinclair gets down to some sprinting in training earlier in the week as Villa prepare for West Brom

Sherwood says his Villa players are more suited to a passing style of football than a direct game

TIM SHERWOOD FACTFILE PLAYING CAREER Watford (1987-89): 51 games 2 goals Norwich (1989-92): 88 games 13 goals Blackburn (1992-99): 300 games 32 goals Tottenham (1999-03): 118 games 16 goals Portsmouth (2003-04): 33 games 1 goal Coventry (2004-05): 11 games 0 goals HONOURS Blackburn - Premier League 1994-95 Portsmouth - First Division 2002-03 INTERNATIONAL CAREER England caps: 3 England debut: 3-1 v Poland, 1999 MANAGERIAL CAREER Tottenham (2013-14): P28 W14 D4 L10 Aston Villa (2015-): P4 W2 D0 L2 Advertisement

‘Our squad is better on the ball, they’re more suited to pushing for a place in the Europa League.

‘Still, they’ve found themselves at the wrong end of the table, so what can they do? I tell them: we do it our way. Go and get the ball. If you give it away, OK, get it back and we start again. I think it takes more courage to do that. It’s easier to destroy than create.

‘When I was at Blackburn, there were times when it was difficult. My name would be read out and there were a few groans. I didn’t care. I’d sometimes tell David Batty, “I’ll give it away more times than you’ll get it this afternoon”.

‘It sounds a strange thing to say, but what I meant was I’ll always want it. I’ll get it so much, I’ll make more mistakes than some midfield players have touches. But I’ll get a lot more right, I’ll win the ball back, and I’ll always be involved. That is what I want from my players. The courage to take the game on.

‘I think of Andros Townsend. He’ll run it into the full back nine times, but then the 10th he’ll get past and put in a cross that wins the game, or stick it straight in the top corner like he did the other night. That attitude is the only way this group will get out of trouble.’

He adds: ‘The players have a duty, a responsibility, to fix this mess. I don’t want to hear crap about how difficult it is to play at home.

‘Playing for a big club comes with pressure. Anyone can do it for a lesser team — but you have to have b******s to play for Aston Villa. This is a big club.

‘The fans think they support a big club. They come here, they don’t want to be in the relegation zone. They’ve got the hump. It’s up to the players to spark them into life.

‘People say the fans have got to get behind the team. Hold on, why must they cheer? You make them cheer. They’re the only loyal people in the game. Make the difference for them, get them on your side.

Sherwood was captain of the Blackburn team that won the Premier League title back in 1995

Sherwood is mobbed by his Tottenham team-mates after scoring against Wolves at White Hart Lane in 2002

Sherwood avoids a challenge during England's 3-1 win over Poland in a European Championship qualifier

PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE Aston Villa's win over West Brom on Tuesday moved them out of the relegation zone with 10 games left to play. Advertisement

‘Blackburn was the best club I ever had because of our success, but it was a walk in the park compared to playing for Tottenham. Midweek, those boys have come in straight from a bad day in the City. There are no replica shirts, just a lot of frustration. They’re going to take it out on you if it’s not going well.

‘So when the pressure is turned up like that, have you got it? Go and get the ball, and make us play.’

It is not straightforward to galvanise a football club, particularly one that has been in decline as long as Villa. Everyone knows the owner, Randy Lerner, would sell if he could and that investment is not what it was. This torpor was reflected in the football played under Paul Lambert.

Before Sherwood arrived, Villa had scored 12 goals in 25 league games. They had possession, but did nothing with it. Christian Benteke had two league goals all season, Gabriel Agbonlahor three, the last on November 24. Sherwood lost his first game to Stoke on an injury-time penalty. The players were on the floor. It was tough.

‘Sometimes it is easy to make an impact,’ Sherwood says. ‘I remember when Harry Redknapp went to Tottenham, following Juande Ramos. The players were not allowed chips, not allowed ketchup, not allowed white bread. He saw an opportunity. “What, is that affecting their crossing?” he would say.

‘He changed a few things and immediately the place lightened up. Good results — then they’re eating out of his hand. That’s why the FA Cup game is important. We’ve got to keep moving forward. The more games we win, the easier it becomes for me to get my message across.

Sherwood (left, along with Joe Jordan) was part of Harry Redknapp's coaching staff at Tottenham

Sherwood and Redknapp deep in conversation at Tottenham's training ground in Essex back in 2008

‘What I take from Harry is that sometimes you roll the dice. He’s a gambler by nature and that comes through. If you leave everything to luck, you’re going to be unlucky. He doesn’t do that. But if you’re not 100 per cent sure, take a gamble.

‘At Southampton when I was managing Tottenham, it wasn’t going well. We needed a change. I turned around to the bench. We had Etienne Capoue, Nabil Bentaleb and Lewis Holtby. I told Nabil to warm up and I could see the others looking at each other. What, him? But that was my gamble.

‘I wasn’t 100 per cent sure of them, but I knew this kid. I’d watched him in training. Every day was like his last on earth. He would cry if he lost a five-a-side. He played and never looked back. There is a bit of that here, just having to roll it.

‘Harry was brilliant for that. Spurs are 4-0 down to Inter Milan in the San Siro, the goalkeeper’s been sent off. I’ve watched the game from upstairs and it’s hell. I come into the dressing-room at half-time, Harry’s blood pressure is rising by the minute.

‘He asks me what I think. I say the game’s gone, get Gareth Bale off, save him for the weekend because we’re playing Everton and we’ll need him. Harry’s going mad. “Get f****** Gareth off?” he says. “He’s the only f****** chance we’ve got.”

‘He keeps him on, he scores a hat-trick, gets us back to 4-3 and, if it goes another 10 minutes, we win. The kid’s career springboards from that performance.

Gareth Bale scored a hat-trick for Tottenham as they lost 4-3 against Inter in the Champions League in 2010

‘I thought I was being calm and calculated — but he’s the one in the technical area. Everyone is staring at the back of his head. Go on then, what are you going to do? He can’t be thinking of next week.’

Neither can Sherwood. He hasn’t got time to consider reputations, egos or long-term planning. He is motivated only by what he sees each day on the training field.

There has never been a better time for a young player to get his chance at Villa, because the new manager lives in the present. ‘I’ve told the players, if you’re not in the team, I can find an excuse for why you’re not playing,’ he explains. ‘But you want the truth? The other 11 are better than you. If you train properly, next week it might be your turn. If you don’t, you’ll never get the chance to show me.

‘I’m honest. I won’t bluff them. I say to the kids: make a lasting impression. I want to be asking Gordon Cowans (Villa’s Under 21 coach) about you. I don’t expect them to always be fantastic, but I need to notice they are there.

‘I was an Arsenal fan. I grew up watching Brian Talbot on the North Bank at Highbury. I loved him.

Sherwood played for and managed Spurs but grew up watching Brian Talbot (centre) play for Arsenal

Sherwood, in action for Spurs against Leeds, was known as a tough tackler throughout his career

‘Then, when I was at Watford, I was playing against him in training every day. And every day I was tackling him, flying in, didn’t care.

‘The coaches used to call me Tackler Tim, or some rubbish. One day, I put one in and he said to Graham Taylor, “Why’s he keep doing that?” I have never forgotten his answer. “Brian, you know that shirt you wear on Saturday?” he said. “That’s the shirt he wants.” He was right, too.

‘Take Jack Grealish. I’ve had lots of chats with Jack. He knows what I think. I tell him: “I will take desire over ability every day”. Obviously, the ability can’t be too low. But if you have the ability — and he has — you’ll make it if you have desire. I’ll guide him along a path, and if he follows that path, in years to come Aston Villa will be trying to hold on to him as Tottenham are trying to hold on to Harry Kane now.

‘I like players. I know players. I’m not a Smedley Side-Parting.

‘Everything they’ve got up to, I’ve got up to. I’ve been around them all my life. I can tell in 10 minutes who’s going to be difficult, who needs a cuddle, who thinks he’s Jacko. No doctors or accountants went to my school. Players went to my school. I could stand with Alan Shearer or Teddy Sheringham in the dressing-room and have a row and we all, really, spoke the same language.

Sherwood is an admirer of Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, who he believes has plenty of desire and ability

Sherwood, now 46 years old, gets stuck in during Villa training earlier in the week

Sherwood says that he 'thinks he is a leader of men' but has developed the skills over many years

‘So I didn’t come in here all guns blazing or wanting to be their headmaster. You can’t get personal these days, get your hair cut and all that nonsense. You’ve got to move with the times. I left the stick at home, and the tickling brush. Now I feel I know them a bit better. Some get a whack, others a tickle.

‘I think I can be a leader of men, but you’re not born with that attitude. In the maternity ward, it’s not girls, boys and natural leaders. You have to become that.’

Just as Sherwood will have to become the type of manager who can one day look at his watch, raise a quizzical eyebrow and everyone will believe the action is part of some brilliant design: or maybe not. What is plain is that if Villa survive, phase two begins.

‘I want to be the best manager,’ he says. ‘I don’t want to be nicking a few quid and ticking over — I want to take a club somewhere and achieve. Now, the first achievement would be keeping Villa in the Premier League, but it isn’t ultimately what I want to do.

‘I don’t want to be scrapping around; I want to take them forward. I think I did that at Tottenham. I didn’t leave a crumbling house — Mauricio Pochettino has done a good job, but he had it laid out for him, with players like Kane and Bentaleb.

Sherwood believes Mauricio Pochettino is benefiting because of his work with Harry Kane

Sherwood believes Pochettino, who led Spurs to the Capital One Cup final, has done a good job

‘If Villa stay up, then we can worry about building our philosophy, or whatever the on-trend word is these days. There’s no time for that now. We had one foot in the Championship when I arrived and this would be our greatest escape.

‘But if we overcome this we get stronger. Southampton have made it hard for one of the established teams to finish fourth. There can be a lot of movement in this league.

‘Look at how well Everton did last year, now they’re three points off us. It can go the other way.

‘Relegation candidates one season, Europa League the next.’