Ledley King: 'Lose to Hull and Euro boost means nothing'

Yesterday's 1-1 draw at Wisla Krakow gave Spurs a 3-2 aggregate victory and a place in next week's draw for the group stage.

But the Spurs skipper, who also gave manager Juande Ramos a vote of confidence, insisted it was now down to the players to prove their mettle against newly promoted Hull.

King said: "The manager has been great. He has lifted spirits and he's kept calm which is important when we have got a lot of younger players here.

"He believes in us. He's not showing any panic and there is no reason for us to show any panic.

"Now it is up to us, the players, to go out and do it. We've got to look to the next game and get three points. That is where our focus is now.

"I don't think Hull are surprising anyone anymore. People have seen they are a tough team. They've settled into the League brilliantly and we're fully aware that it is going to be a very tough game."

Yet King believes the Premier League upstarts, who beat Arsenal last weekend, can be put in their place if Spurs show the same kind of spirit they displayed in fending off a late Wisla onslaught after Pawel Brozek had equalised an earlier own goal by team-mate Arkadiusz Glowacki.

He added: "There was determination throughout the team not to concede another goal."

Ramos will be under further scrutiny should Spurs lose but the club have denied reports suggesting that they had spoken to representatives of Manchester City boss Mark Hughes about taking over.

A statement read: "The club largely refrains from making statements of this nature unless absolutely necessary in order to set the record straight in light of wholly inaccurate reporting.

"This story is completely untrue and without foundation and the matter is being discussed with the publication."