Tough guy Ramos is finding managing Tottenham child's play

Juande Ramos, the Spanish coach who has begun the task of restocking Tottenham's trophy cabinet, is comfortable with his reputation as one of the Premier League's tough guys.

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"It doesn't bother me, I do what I have to do," he insisted ahead of Thursday's UEFA Cup last-16 first leg against PSV Eindhoven. "Sometimes you have to show them affection because they deserve it and at other times you have to be tough when they do things wrong.

"I think it is like with your child, when you are happy you give them a sweet and when you are angry you tell them off. You need to teach them and they need to understood you are not always going to behave the same way."

Ramos, a father of boys Juande and Alejandro and a daughter Maria, admitted to having cast an admiring glance in Arsenal's direction for the manner of their victory over AC Milan, but their exploits in Europe have done nothing to shake his belief that Spurs will soon be a match for their biggest rivals.

Arsene Wenger's young side may have pulled of a stunning win in the San Siro, but with a 5-1 victory over his North London rivals already on his c.v.on the way to winning the Carling Cup Ramos insisted he has no reason to be jealous of Arsenal's exploits.

Speaking ahead of tonight's UEFA Cup last 16 first-leg against PSV Eindhoven, Ramos said: "I liked the Arsenal game very much. They played magnificently and I think they deserved to go through."

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But such praise was soon qualified by a manager who, having occupied both sides of the fierce divide between Sevilla and Real Betis, clearly enjoys a bit of local rivalry.

"It didn't make me jealous at all," insisted Ramos of Arsenal's Champions League heroics. "We won the semi-final of the Carling Cup with a similar type of football. I think the main thing is that the players believe they have the ability to play like that."

Tottenham have the opportunity to show that belief against PSV, a side who Ramos admits have the European pedigree to test his team's own credentials.

Ramos refused to criticise his players for letting their hair down following the Wembley win over Chelsea, but having suffered a Carling Cup victory hangover against Birmingham last Saturday, the former Sevilla boss knows a vast improvement will be required if he is to become the first manager to lift the UEFA cup for the third time in succession.

"It is an important test for us to see what level we can get to in Europe, I think it is an ideal barometer. They are a team who have come from the Champions League and who are the league leaders in their country. I think it will show what chance we have in the competition.

"I am hoping for a reaction. I need to know how the team behaves in a game of such importance. Europe is very difficult and all the games are complicated."

Tottenham's players were made to sweat over Ramos's reaction to the 4-1 drubbing at St Andrews - he choose not to speak them in the dressing room after the defeat.

"I like to say things to the players when I have thought about them and I am calm not straight after such a hard result because, no doubt I might say things that later I would regret," he revealed.

Ramos admitted playing Pascal Chimbonda and Younes Kaboul - the defender had not trained all week, having returned to Morocco after a family bereavement - in the centre of defence against Birmingham had proved costly.

But with the expected return of Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate tonight, Ramos is hopeful of keeping a clean sheet for next week's second-leg in Eindhoven.

He added: "Not letting in a goal at home guarantees the chance of going through by drawing or winning away. It will give us a very good chance of progressing."