Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp was bristling last night over an attack on his tactics from UEFA Cup rivals NEC Nijmegen.

A win for Spurs tonight will almost certainly guarantee them a place in the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup for the third season running. And the meeting with Nijmegen gained a little extra spice for Redknapp following accusations from his opposite number, Mario Been, that Spurs are a long-ball side.

"Long-ball team? I don't think so," snorted Redknapp. "I have never played a long ball. I wouldn't know what a long-ball team was. My midfield pass and play."