BLACKBURN Rovers skipper Tim Sherwood today reassured Ewood fans: "I am not homesick."

National newspapers continue to link the midfielder general with a move to Spurs.

Rovers turned down a £3.5 million bid for the player, who has four years left on his contract, last week.

But Spurs, who play Rovers in their next game a week tonight, are reported to be preparing an improved offer for Sherwood, as well as a swap deal involving Chris Sutton and Chris Armstrong plus £5 million cash.

White Hart Lane supremo David Pleat will be hoping that persistence may pay off, as happened with the Rangers approach for Colin Hendry.

But Sherwood insists that he has no plans to leave Ewood Park.

He said: "I am not homesick. I have been here for seven years. If I had been homesick, I would have left after one year.

"I am happy with Roy and the club and everything is going really well.

"As everyone can see I am perfectly happy to play at Blackburn.

"It's irrelevant, anyway, as the clubs haven't come to an agreement."

And Rovers' boss Roy Hodgson stressed that he is not looking to off-load any of his players with a domestic and Uefa Cup campaign ahead. He described Sherwood and Sutton, his captain and vice-captain, as cornerstones of the team, and added: "There has been no mention of Chris Sutton to us.

"The only mention was of Tim Sherwood and they made an offer which we considered to be ludicrously low. We made it clear we want to keep him.

"There was no indication to Tottenham that Tim Sherwood would have been available.

"They have taken it into their heads to make an approach and try and unsettle him which is quite disturbing but that's the way of the football world at the moment. We are a big enough club to get on with it."

Meanwhile, Rovers' full-back Callum Davidson reckons being settled at Blackburn makes the transition to the Scotland set-up a straightforward one, such is the feeling of walking into a familiar dressing room.

Lithuania provide Saturday's opposition in Scotland's opening Euro 2000 Qualifier, with Davidson's place secured by manager Hodgson's glowing praise.

He said: "The call has come a little bit earlier than I expected, but I'm not about to complain about that.

"It helps settling in that I know a few of the boys already like Kevin Gallacher, Colin Hendry and Christian Dailly.

"I felt in the spotlight in England because in that sense it is a good club to be at Blackburn.

"I was never really worried about being out of sight, out of mind and I have heard my manager said a few nice things about me.

"He has been very good coaching-wise and brilliant towards me, so hopefully I can just keep it going."

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