'Arry Thinks of Challanges Ahead.
Following Tottenham Hotspurs’ meagre exit from the Carling Cup at the hands of Manchester United’s reserve side, Harry Redknapp bravely refused to attend the post match press conference. Instead sending one of his countless coaches and long-time compadre Kevin Bond to face the music. Harry had bigger fish to fry, with press conferences later on in the week where he can play conductor rather than field questions regarding the inepitude of his Tottenham side on a night where a cup semi-final was in their grasp. The East-End boy can enlighten us with his opinions on Portsmouth’s dwindling fortunes, and talk up Spurs chances of earning Champions League football next fall. Whist glossing over his own squad’s glaring deficiencies.
As Spurs lie third 14 games in, Redknapp has constantly praised his sides revival in the since his arrival at White Hart Lane in October 2008. Mostly the role he played in it. In case you do not remember, Spurs had only picked up two points from their opening eight games under Juande Ramos. After the Spaniard’s dismissal, results began to turn around, with a 2-0 victory over Bolton in Redknapp’s first game in charge, followed by a highly fortuitous 2-1 win against Liverpool. Roman Pavlyuchenko scored an injury-time winner, with Heurelho Gomes making a number of top-class saves, including an astonishing finger-tip save from a deflected Steven Gerrard drive. But Redknapp doesn’t seem to appreciate certain players’ efforts.
The treatment of Pavlyuchenko this season has been nothing short of a disgrace. One of the stars of Euro 2008, his physical presence, eye for goal and ability to bring others into play led Ramos to pay £14 million for the towering front-mans services. His 14 goals in all competitions was an acceptable effort in his first season playing in a new league, adapting to a new culture with his young family. But so far this season, the Russian international has seen 62 minutes of Premier League football. Peter Crouch, an old Redknapp favourite, was signed and does with Crouch normally does. Which is not a whole lot. He has his uses, but in most aspects of the game, Pavlyuchenko is a far superior footballer. It’s a certain weakness in Redknapp’s armoury that he cannot seem to judge players on ability, but what they have done for him in the past.
Growing in Confidence
Brazilian goalkeeper Gomes had a ropey beginning to his career in England, with his vampire-like aversion to crosses. However, as his superb recent display at home to Sunderland shows, he has settled and familiarised himself with the nature of the Premier League. But Redknapp has done his best to erode Gomes fragile confidence, particuarlly during the difficult settling-in period last season. One horrendous error last November at Fulham led to his manager raging:
“I don’t know what else I can do with him really”
For a man you had previously managed David James, this did not seem like the most compassionate and understanding display of man-management one is likely to see. Then the eve of the Carling Cup final, again losing to an under-strength United XI, he claimed Gomes made him ‘nervy’.
To the Brazilian’s eternal credit, he has established himself as Spurs’ undisputed number one, and earned the praise and respect of his manager, who in fairness realised how utterly wrong he was to be so dismissive of Gomes’ ability. Although prone to unmerciful cock-ups, Gomes is a fine keeper and one that will improve with games and the support of those around him.
Gomes is not the only net-minder to have been publicly derided by dear old Harry. After a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth in January, he gave reserve goalkeeper Cesar Sanchez a glowing reference:
“We need another good goalkeeper and if I’d had confidence in the Spanish keeper then I would’ve played him”
The Spanish keeper started a Champions League final, 2002 for Real Madrid, and won La Liga, playing over 300 games in the Spanish top-flight. But these achievements are ignored, with Cesar seemingly undeserving of being mentioned by name even. At 37, there is no doubt that his best years were behind him, but the ignorance and lack of respect shown was quite shocking.
Darren Bent is another who was publicly humiliated by Redknapp, for a quite unbelievable miss late on in a home draw with Portsmouth:
“You will never get a better chance to win a match than that. My missus could have scored that one.”
These particular comments made headlines across the globe. Bent finished as Tottenham’s top scorer with 17 goals last term, but was unsurprising sold in the summer.
Not for Redknapp
Redknapp does not limit his disregard to just players. Certain competitions are not considered worthy of his undivided attention. Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill was vilified following his decision to play a weakened side in a UEFA Cup defeat to CSKA Moscow last season. But Spurs’ equally uninspiring exit to eventual winners Shakhtar Donetsk slipped under the radar. He sent a side containing youngsters such as Dean Parret to the Ukraine for the first leg, with fringe players Pascal Chimbonda, a baffling re-signing, Chris Gunter, and Giovani Dos Santos also included. Harry seemed undisturbed by the 2-0 defeat, and promptly picked an equally unbalanced side in the second leg, where they achieved a credible 1-1 draw. This was just three days before the Carling Cup final and understandable selection. But their weak surrender on penalties to Manchester United meant this was to no avail.
This season, Tottenham began with a 2-1 victory over an unorganised and unfit looking Liverpool side. However any subsequent meeting with any member of the ‘big four’ has ended in embarrassment. United produced their best display of a stop-start season in disposing of Spurs 3-1 at White Hart Lane. Chelsea and Arsenal produced dominate displays to both saviour comfortable 3-0 home victories. Leading 2-0 at Old Trafford last May, they collapsed pathetically 5-2. They are unable to cut it with the big boys just yet.
There is a gaping hole in their current squad in central midfield. Whist the bench is often filled with full-backs costing between £7-£10 million, wingers bought for £15million , and £14 million strikers ignored, Redknapp has just three central midfielders to choose from in Tom Huddlestone, Jermaine Jenas and Wilson Palacios. The latter was an excellent capture from Wigan, but his efforts in assisting Honduras reach their first World Cup in 28 years have drained him in recent months. Jenas and Huddlestone form an unconvincing partnership, and too often leave Spurs very open after being bypassed in midfield.
''Can't play in a 4-4-2''
Luca Modric, a player Redknapp claimed could not fit into a 4-4-2, plays there for Crotaia, and having being made a man of in the unflinching Bosnian top-flight, could provide a spark. However his broken leg led to Niko Kranjcar’s highly suspicious £2.5 million move from Portsmouth. This deal reeked of calling in favours from old friends. A highly technical player, with superb control and vision, this Croat would demand a fee of at least £7 million in today’s inflated market. Granted he only had a year left on his deal at Fratton Park, but £2.5 million doesn’t get you much in the world of the Premier League.
Redknapp will be happy with his lot, as they lie third and don’t play a member of the ”big four’ until January. After claiming today that Tottenham requires just two more players to be challengers, he needs to get real. The hype surrounding their 1-1 draw with Aston Villa was quite surreal, claiming a more impressive performance than the 9-1 thrashing of Wigan. They were exceedingly wasteful having 23 shots, with only Michael Dawson’s excellent strike saving a point. Tottenham will do well finish in the top four, or pick up a trophy this season. If they manage to do that, then fair enough, Redknapp will have done his job. But maybe it’s time to let other people judge Tottenham’s progress under Redknapp. And with a squad brought together for over £170 million, it’s really time they started doing the business
