Football: Vega bites at Pleat's decision

RAMON VEGA hit out at David Pleat, Tottenham's caretaker-manager, after scoring the winning goal in Spurs' Worthington Cup second round first leg game at Brentford on Tuesday.

Vega insisted that Pleat was wrong to drop him from the team which lost to Middlesbrough on Sunday. The much-maligned Swiss international defender spared Spurs' blushes with a powerful header for their third goal at Griffin Park, before denouncing Pleat.

"Getting the winner here was the perfect reply to me being dropped," Vega said. "The manager was wrong to leave me out of the last game and this was my way of telling him. Now I am determined to fight on and win over the fans."

Vega has had a torrid time at White Hart Lane so far this season. He was the victim of the boo-boys in the club's opening home game of the season, which they lost to Sheffield Wednesday, and has also been accused of receiving preferential treatment from his fellow countryman Christian Gross, the club's last manager.

"I have had a lot of stick but I have had to face it. We all make mistakes but mine have been highlighted because I am a defender," Vega said. "As for people saying I was privileged, my relationship with Christian was nothing special. I don't see why people make this connection just because we are both Swiss. Does it mean English managers favour English players? Of course not."