TIM SHERWOOD HAS dismissed recent suggestions made by Roy Keane that the Villa boss was positioning himself in the job long before previous boss Paul Lambert left the club.

In an updated version of his autobiography, The Second Half, Keane writes:

“I went to watch Villa against Bournemouth in the FA Cup a few weeks before Paul was sacked and Tim Sherwood was sitting behind me. I just thought, ‘All right…’”

However, Sherwood dismissed suggestions that he was actively seeking Lambert’s job, telling reporters.

“I went to a lot of matches when I was out of work — probably 20-30.

“If that’s a formula for getting a job then I’m going to position myself at the Nou Camp or Bernabeu next time.

“I think Villa was about the only club that I wasn’t linked with to be honest.

“If that’s Roy’s opinion then that’s fair enough, but it’s not mine. I haven’t read his book, or the updated version.”

Sherwood also defended star striker Christian Benteke, after Keane suggested he didn’t score much in training.

“Well, I can only go on what I’ve seen since I’ve been here. He does score in training, but more importantly, he’s sticking them away in matches and that’ll do for me,” Sherwood said.

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