Lineker blasts Sherwood after Spurs boss says squad are playing for their futures



Tim Sherwood criticised his players after thumping defeat by Chelsea

Gary Lineker has said that he may lose the confidence of his players



Now Tottenham manager tells them they are playing for future at the club

Midfielder Sandro backs manager and claims they deserved rant from boss



Spurs legend Gary Lineker has said that Tim Sherwood's policy of slagging off his players in public may well backfire on him.

The Tottenham boss had said on Wednesday that his squad were playing for their future after their humiliating 4-0 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday.

But on Twitter, Lineker said: ' F ascinating, honest but ultimately, I feel, unwise public condemnation of his own players by Tim Sherwood. Private, always the best way.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch the Tottenham players train ahead of tomorrow's Benfica clash

Back on track: Tim Sherwood slated his players for their performance against Chelsea

Wrong decision: Gary Lineker has said that Sherwood may lose the confidence of his players Relaxed: Sandro and fellow Brazilian Paulinho joke around in Tottenham's training ahead of the Benfica game

Samba style: Sandro has backed his manager and claimed the Spurs squad are together

'There is no quicker way to lose the confidence and trust of your players than to slag them off public ly.'



Sherwood has held talks with Levy since the weekend defeat - and the Spurs manager has warned his stars that their futures are far from secure.

'A lot of the players here are playing for their futures. They know that now.



'They have to show they want to play for a giant of a club like Tottenham.



'Whether there's an overhaul in the squad is for me to decide. But there will be changes. I want players here to prove they want to be here.

'I hope my comments can have a galvanising effect.

'They know how I am, they know how I felt about what happened. We've got to move on, we can’t dwell on it.

'They’re all men, they know I’m saying it from the heart, not from a script, but on impulse. I shoot from the hip.'

Put to the sword: Eden Hazard celebrates after netting from the spot against Tottenham

Spurs midfielder Sandro backed Sherwood following his manager's public dressing down at the weekend. The Brazil midfielder suggested that the players deserved to be criticised for their poor display and had no problem with the fact Sherwood vented his frustrations to millions of viewers on Sky Sports. Tottenham face Benfica in the Europa League on Thursday evening and Sandro is using it as an opportunity to bounce back from the thumping at Stamford Bridge. When asked whether Sherwood should have been so public in his staggering rant on Saturday evening, Sandro claimed his manager had every right. 'He said the same to us too,' the midfielder said. 'He is with us and we are with the manager. We have to show we care and we will show that.' Sherwood had claimed that his players were 'too nice to one another' and blasted his squad for having a 'lack of character' in the wake of the thrashing in the London derby, but Sandro agrees.

'We are all friends, but we have to ask more of each other,' Sandro added. 'We have to give more effort to our team. It has to be that way.

'Maybe we shouldn't be such good friends after all! We have to win every game. We are Tottenham and we will go for it. After Benfica we have Arsenal, if we beat them it changes everything. We won't give up.' Sandro disagreed with the suggestion that the players are not hurt when Spurs lose. Despondent: Sandro and Vertonghen look dejected as Chelsea ran out convincing winners

'It hurts me a lot,' the 24-year-old said. 'I love football. After the game a lot was said, we felt it a lot.



'After a game like that there's no way you can't be hurt. We were sad but have to move forward. A win can change a lot.'

Tottenham's record signing Erik Lamela is out of the clash against Benfica with a back injury.

Room for improvement: Jan Vertonghen and Andros Townsend (right) were in training ahead of the match

