Wenger - Ramos needed time

Wenger: Support for Ramos

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Arsene Wenger admits he was 'very surprised' it did not work out for Juande Ramos at Tottenham Hotspur and feels the Spaniard's sacking was premature.

Ramos was dismissed by Spurs over the weekend just days before his first anniversary in the job and was replaced by Harry Redknapp.

Though Ramos won the Carling Cup last season, the team's Premier League form tailed off after their Wembley success and they endured a torrid start to the new campaign.

Spurs had not won in the league before Ramos' exit and were bottom of the table when the former Sevilla coach was shown the door.

However, Arsenal boss Wenger, who welcomes Spurs to Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, live on Sky Sports 2, believes Ramos merited more time in the job.

Less patient

"I don't think he'd have been sacked if he had only arrived at Tottenham in July," Wenger said of Ramos.

"But the fact is he arrived in the middle of last season and people were less patient with their league position.

"What sometimes happens in this league is when a team doesn't go for Europe and wins the Carling Cup, they suddenly switch off.

"Without anyone noticing, slowly you lose results. And then, if you don't start the next season well, which is what happened to Ramos, his environment slowly lost confidence in him.

"I am very surprised it didn't work for Ramos and I feel sorry for him because I rate him as a coach and as a man.

"It takes time to get your ideas through. I understand Tottenham have to make decisions, but you would want anyone to be given more than eight or nine games.

"Now they have gone a completely different way and done away with the director of football because they were suddenly convinced it doesn't work for them.

"Only time will tell whether Harry Redknapp will be a success."