Roy Keane got into a heated argument with Jamie Redknapp as the former Manchester United captain claimed top sides "wouldn't touch" any Tottenham player beyond Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.
In the build-up to Spurs' match against Burnley on Sunday, Redknapp said Spurs were underachieving but still had a "strong squad full of internationals in every department", comments which drew a strong response from Keane.
"Playing for your country doesn't make you a top player," the ex-Republic of Ireland midfielder said on Sky Sports ahead of Tottenham's home clash against Burnley. "If you can trap the ball you can play for your country these days...
"If you don't play for your country these days you are a bad player. It doesn't guarantee anything.
"Which one of this Tottenham team now would get into Liverpool, Manchester City or the Chelsea team? You wouldn't touch any of them. Son and Kane - outstanding - but the rest of them you wouldn't touch."
Redknapp appeared taken aback by the outburst, and responded to say that Toby Alderweireld would get a start for Keane's old club.
"Alderweireld would get in the Man United team right now," he said.
Keane singled out Ireland international Matt Doherty as an example as to why Spurs are not competing by questioning the quality of the Dubliner in the sense of his ability to make the London side a better team.
The Spurs defender only broke into the Ireland squad at the tail end of Keane's tenure in the role as assistant manager alongside Martin O'Neill, making his first start against Denmark in October 2018 during that ill-fated Nations League campaign.
"Doherty was playing for Wolves last year, they've done well and you expect them to compete. They sell him to Spurs for £15million. Does anyone really think Doherty is going to make Spurs a top-four team? Doherty? Really?"
It was the one thing that the two pundits appeared to agree with, the quality of the Spurs right-back options.
"I agree with you," said Redknapp.
"You're right that the goalkeeper is not good enough and the two right-backs they've signed, no, I don't trust (Serge) Aurier or (Matt) Doherty...the back four isn't good enough but (Sergio) Reguilon is as good a left-back as there is in the country."
Keane seemed to dismiss that - "Is that why Real Madrid let him go?" - but Redknapp pointed out the Spanish giants had retained a buy-back clause in the deal for the 24-year-old.
Keane was not done there, however.
"I expect them to be in the top seven or eight but the idea that Spurs automatically should be in the top four, if you analyse the players...they say (Jose Mourinho) is chopping and changing but he's chopping and changing for a reason - he can't trust them.
"We talk about (Gareth) Bale and Bale came on last week and made a difference. What did he do? He put in a corner. He's come in to do big things and get them back in the top four but he can't get in the team.
"I'm sick of talking about Dele Alli. What do we think is going to happen with this kid? We look at stats from three years ago. He's lost the hunger. He's lost the eye of the tiger. He's not going to get Tottenham back to the top four."
Spurs went on to win the match comfortably 4-0, moving up to eighth place in the table.
