Jonathan Woodgate has launched a veiled attack on Gareth Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, by emphasising how much he is enjoying playing for a “proper manager” like Juande Ramos, the Tottenham Hotspur head coach.

The centre back has made an immediate impression at White Hart Lane since his £8 million transfer last week, with only Carlos Tévez’s stoppage-time equaliser in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United denying his new club successive clean sheets.

Woodgate’s relationship with Southgate soured towards the end of his time at Middlesbrough, with the manager endorsing the club’s decision to sell him because of concerns over his lifestyle. The 28-year-old did not play for Middlesbrough after January 1 because of cramp but has had no such problem at Tottenham, playing two games in the space of four days.

“The fans are good, but the manager has won silverware and knows what he’s doing - he’s a proper manager,” Woodgate said. “He looks the part, he talks, he’s good. He’s won cups in Spain, two Uefa Cups in a row, and has done ever so well. He’s won the Spanish Cup and now he’s doing well in the league. Every manager has different ways, but I am enjoying the way things are.

“We’re going in the right direction and that’s why I came to Spurs. The manager, the players, you can see what they are trying to build. It’s like when I was at Leeds and all these new players came in and I was excited.”

Woodgate went on to question Middlesbrough’s ambition by saying that staying on Teesside would have been the easy option. “I wouldn’t say it’s sad, it’s my decision. I wanted to come here and do things,” he said.

“I could have stayed at Middlesbrough and had the easy, comfortable life. I could have lived near my home and gone to the games and gone back home. But I wanted to come to Spurs and move to London and play for a good team who are going places. I am a footballer and I want to win things. I want to play for a club with ambition and try to win trophies. It is unfortunate that I had to move on, but I am at a club who are going places.”

Woodgate is feeling the benefit after being named in the England squad for the friendly against Switzerland on Wednesday and believes that moving to Spurs will help his international ambitions. “There were a lot of internationals at Middlesbrough, but there are a lot of internationals here,” he said. “Mr Capello [the England manager] will come and watch a lot as it’s only just down the road. It’s four hours to Middlesbrough. And it’s a bit colder.”