Sherwood Confident of Europa Success Despite Nine Man Injury List

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Tim Sherwood has hinted winning the Europa League will be a bigger priority for his side than clinching a top four in the Premier League as his side prepare for their last 32 clash with a nine man injury list.

While some managers see Europe's second competition as an unwelcomed distraction from domestic matters others have embraced it and made it a priority, including Sherwood's predecessor Andre Villas-Boas who lifted the trophy with FC Porto in 2011.

In previous seasons Tottenham have struggled to balance progression in the Europa League with their battle for Champions League qualification, having failed to get past the quarter final stages of the tournament.

But ahead of his side's away test against Dnipro with a depleted squad, Sherwood admits the opportunity to add a European triumph as one of his first managerial achievements is too valuable to take for granted.

When asked whether he would prefer Champions League qualification or the chance to lift the Europa League trophy," Sherwood said according to the Metro.: "On the CV of a manager? It's about winning.

"We have seen that down the years, a lot of managers have won this and gone on to bigger and better things. It is the priority of the club to win both –the place in the Champions League and the Europa League.

"We believe that we have a big enough squad to do that. Certainly, though anyone who will tell you that winning trophies doesn't look best on the CV would be lying to you.

"I think we have a big enough squad to do that."

Sherwood will test himself against former Tottenham manager Juande Ramos in Ukraine on Thursday evening but will do so without a number of first team players available.

With Erik Lamela, Vlad Chiriches, Jermain Defoe and Sandro already absent through injury, the Spurs boss is also without Hugo Lloris, Kyle Walker, Aaron Lennon, Younes Kaboul and Emmanuel Adebayor who are all struggling for fitness.

"They all have niggles," Sherwood said via the club's official website. "They will miss this game but we hope they will be ready on Sunday (against Norwich). It is an opportunity for the other lads."