Tottenham Hotspur head coach Tim Sherwood has insisted that he was not told by the club's hierarchy to ensure Champions League football.

The North London outfit appointed Sherwood in December following Andre Villas-Boas's exit, but the 45-year-old has insisted that his aim was to improve the team.

"We think [fourth place] is unrealistic and we are trying to get as many points as possible," Sherwood told reporters. "It was never the brief to get us in to the top four. My brief was to improve the quality of football being played."

Spurs are currently seven points adrift of fourth in the table, with three games left to play.