After leaving Sevilla to replace Martin Jol at White Hart Lane last week, Ramos' reign at struggling Spurs got off to the perfect start when Darren Bent put the visitors ahead in the 35th minute after Steed Malbranque had capitalised on a Luke Young error.

But boyhood Spurs fan Young was to have the last laugh with the sweetest of strikes - a 25-yard piledriver seven minutes into the second half - to earn Boro a share of the spoils.

The point may have been enough for Tottenham to climb out of the relegation zone - for a day at least - but with Spurs having won just once all season in the league - a 4-0 victory over Derby on August 18 - Ramos has without doubt inherited a side in need of work.

"It's going to take a few weeks," said assistant boss Poyet, standing in for Ramos because the club travelled without the Spaniard's translator.

"Without a doubt, we need time. I'm not asking for time but it was too difficult to look too deep into the situation because of the few days that we have had to work."

But Poyet, who left Leeds last week to return to his former side, acknowledges assessing what needs to be done is not about to get any easier.

He said: "Now we have another game on Thursday, another one on Sunday and then the international week - when you want to train the most the players are away.

"Where I will finish trying to put everything how we would like, we will have to see.

"We have to use the games to keep improving - we have to make sure that we do the right things during the game."

Like Spurs, Boro have made their worst ever start to a Premier League season.

Just a place above the north London side in 16th, they are now seven games without a league win. But at least manager Gareth Southgate could take comfort from the end an alarming run of four consecutive defeats.

He said: "I don't think we should have won. I think from being a goal down at half-time, we have got to be pleased with the result.

"Obviously we are in a spell where lots of things are going against us but we just have to dig in. It wasn't the ideal way to come in at half-time. I don't think there was much in the game before the goal.

"Then we tried to equalise straight away and there was a five-minute spell where we looked a bit ragged.

"Credit to the lads, at start of the second half I thought we created enough pressure and put Tottenham on the back foot, culminating in the goal which was a fantastic strike from Young.

"Then, unfortunately, we lost a bit of momentum because we ran out of fresh legs to put on.

"We know that we are going to get criticised because people will read it as an opportunity for us to get three points but I think everybody knows that Tottenham are in a false position with the players they've got.

"I don't think they'll stay there so it was by no means a banker for us. We have got a point out of it which pleases me and it gives us something to build on. We had to stop the run we were on."

It was the visitors who looked the more likely to force a winner in the closing stages - much to the home supporters' frustration.

No-one was on hand to capitalise on a dangerous Jermaine Jenas ball across the face of goal and Chris Riggott could count himself fortunate moments later when Aaron Lennon's fierce shot cannoned off him only to land the other side of Mark Schwarzer's right post.

But Southgate defended his side afterwards and revealed their approach was something they had discussed prior to the game.

"We will never settle for what we've got but I think sometimes circumstances influence the players," he said.

"We spoke beforehand about having no regrets and at times like this the players have to keep going forward and not be frightened to lose.

"We have to take a chance and be prepared to be bold, and if you are bold you might get more than you think or you deserve."