Bassett added: 'I don't want him kicked out of football - I just want it sorted. You want your players to be clever and I'm sure the Spurs crowd quite liked it.
'Robbie did nothing at Bolton when they had two sent off for fouls on him, but I told him I didn't want any histrionics. He's a really nice lad, although his image on the field is different. Maybe Taricco is a different lad off the field as well but you can only go on what you see and he's got a reputation for it.'
It was only Tottenham's failure to kill off Leicester that allowed the situation to explode. Darren Anderton put Spurs ahead with a clever volley before setting up Simon Davies for the clincher.
But two easy chances for Steffen Iversen and a header from Dean Richards were missed before Stefan Oakes drilled a free-kick home.
Only Neil Sullivan's late save to deny Callum Davidson secured the points and Leicester appear doomed, their survival hopes put into context by Davidson's admission of confusion in their planning.
Davidson said: 'I was put into mid-field to mark Gus Poyet - we didn't realise he was suspended until we saw their team-sheet. But the boss said we'd stick with it anyway and that I should just enjoy myself.'
Ferdinand would not have enjoyed it if D'Urso had booked him, although he claimed: 'It would've been a blow if I'd missed the Final but he just told me to calm down.'
Ferdinand's England days are long gone but defender Ledley King begins his today after being called up by Sven Goran Eriksson for the friendly in Holland.
Spurs boss Hoddle is confident the time is right: 'He deserves the call. There's still a long way to go and Ledley will discover that there is a big gap between the Premiership and international football.
'But he will see for himself how he has to adjust. I'm not saying he's ready to play in every game but he has the right balance between being able to defend and play with the ball, and is two-footed and strong in the air. He is definitely ready.'
