In the early hours of Thursday morning, Tottenham Hotspur confirmed that they had parted company with their manager Harry Redknapp. It was news that had been expected but still comes as a real shock.
Redknapp leaves Spurs after four years at the helm. He took over after the disastrous reign of Juande Ramos, with the club languishing in the bottom three of the Premier League. That season Redknapp performed miracles, guiding the team from that lowly position to finish eighth. In his next season in charge Tottenham did the unthinkable and broke into the exclusive ‘top 4’ of English football, earning themselves a Champions League place for the first time in the clubs history. Spurs performed well in that competition, thrilling Europe with their flair and guile and reached the quarterfinals where their dream was ended by Real Madrid. Redknapps Spurs missed out on fourth place that year, being edged out as Manchester City’s millions bought their way in. In Redknapps last season in charge as it turns out, Spurs excelled for most of the season only to fall away in the last couple of months. Despite that dip, the North London club achieved fourth spot again, only to be cruelly deprived of a Champions League place due to Chelsea’s victory of the competition. This is a record that Redknapp should be proud of and Tottenham should be delighted with from their manager.
It would seem however that they are not and have decided to sack Harry Redknapp. The reasons for this decision are largely unclear. It is thought that the owner, Joe Lewis, is disappointed that Tottenham did not finish third and thereby guarantee them a Champions League place. It would seem that the blame for this failure has been laid squarely at the door of Harry Redknapp. Tottenhams dip in form coincided with Fabio Capello’s resignation as England manager. Redknapp became the bookies and the fans favourite for the job and many will claim that the former West Ham and Pompey gaffer took his eye of the ball at Spurs. Perhaps this is a view that chairman Daniel Levy and the rest of the board share and so feel Redknapp deserves to be sacked from his post.
What is clear though is that this move plunges Tottenham into temporary crisis. It is now a month since the end of the season and most clubs will have discussed transfer targets and budgets already. Spurs will now have to appoint a new manager, which could take time. This promised to be a difficult summer for Tottenham as it was. Many of their players have been linked with moves away from White Hart Lane to so-called ‘bigger clubs.’ The likes of Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart may be less inclined to stay at Spurs now that their inspirational manager has been sacked.
So who will be that new man at the helm? The early favourite with the bookmakers is Evertons David Moyes. He has been at Everton 10 years and they will not want to let him go, especially this far into the summer. Other names being mentioned include Fabio Capello, Roberto Martinez and Alan Pardew. Whoever gets the nod as the new manager will have a very difficult season ahead. Tottenham would have wanted to get stronger this season to push into the Champions League again. Redknapp was perfectly placed to make that happen. A new manager will need time to get used to the job, to place his own style on the team and that could damage Spurs’ hopes of a top four finish. This is especially true given the strength of their competitors. Manchester United and Manchester City continue to get stronger, Chelsea are once again throwing massive amounts of money at the problem and Arsenal look to be buying well to aid their bid. All of this makes the decision from Daniel Levy and his board members a ludicrous one.
If the Tottenham Chairman feels that Redknapp has not done an outstanding job at Tottenham then he is not fit to run that club. Harry Redknapp has transformed Spurs from a mediocre mid table club into a Champions League contender every year. Redknapp has brought a style of expansive, attractive football to White Hart Lane, allowing them to play better football than local rivals Arsenal. With Redknapp in charge, Spurs had a chance of gaining a top four position next season. Now I can see very little chance of that happening. The competition is too strong now that Levy has committed suicide and sacked the best thing that ever happened to Tottenham Hotspur football club in the Premier League era.
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Cheer up lad dont be so pessimistic..
Another of Arry’s media chums writing about his misfirtune. I’d imagine you were also adovocate for Arry to become England manager ? You can, along with your media chums also shoulder some of the responsibility for Arry getting the sack. Your continued calls for him to be England manager and it’s ‘what England fans want’ turned Arry’s head and inflated his already inflated ego.
When writIng about poor hard done by Arry you forgot to mention HE turned down a 4 year contract extension when he thought he was nailed on for the England job. Funny how when that didn’t happen it’s all he could talk about !
Let’s look at the facts… The FA needed a manager… if it was a one horse race as the media made it out to be it was their favourite man for the job. Always rely on Arry for a witty quote, to say it how it is ! If you were thinking with any kind of rationale thought process you’d have realised that Roy Hodgesons CV read better.
Tbe media told fans who they want and for once the FA used what little common sense it has and appointed the right man for the job. Not someone who plays to the gallery like ol Arry…
As for Spurs. They’ve realised that IF they’d continued with Arry he would have dropped them as soon a better offer came along. He showed little or no regard for Spurs when touted by you for the England job. It’s not about the 10 points dropped to Arsenal… it’s more than that.. we were, if you remember being touted as title contenders 2 points behind City and Utd….. Tactically Arry is clueless, never more evident against Arsenal 2-0 and cruising. Wenger changed things round and then…… well we know what happened. 2 goals from 135 corners, continualy conceding goals from set pieces, poor squad rotation. Playing Adebayour every game bar injury.. leaving Defoe on the bench who depsite only playing a 3rd of the season still managed joint top scorer ! These are the facts you choose to leave out in your love in of the cheeky cockney rogue Arry Redknapp.
Lat but not least the club are paying Arry £3 mill in compensation. That’s £3mill before and after tax !
In a answer to your question NO!
Scott you are a fucking mug. You must be wearing rose tinted glasses. Can you not see how he screwed up.
No, Tottenham have not, they have made the decision needed to take the club further.
Spurs fans – what an ungrateful , delusional bunch. Harry gives us the best football we have had for years but he isn’t good enough for a club which has won the league twice in its history and the last time 50 years ago. Guys we have been a laughing stock for years buit we had just got our self respect back when Levi pushes the destruct button. Now we are talking about AVB – wasn’t that the guy that screwed up Chelsea and turned them into a top 6 club? Or Moyes – qwell that’s going to be fun to watch isn’t it? with the bunch of second raters that are left in the team after Bale, Modric and a few others head off to fresh pastures. What a bunch of losers.
Oh Harry – and Poopyballs to Daniel L. I wouldn’t blame the boys for leaving now. I love Gareth, Michael, Aaron, Scott etc – darn good players – I know how they felt about ‘arry. There are three good managers in EPL, ‘arry Kenny D and Alex – how about approaching Kenny D. NO BOAS!!!! David Moyes? If is manager PLEASE make him wear suit and tie and as least look professional Miss Harry already and know that if this had happened before Kenny’s leaving Harry would be great at Liverpool. Our boys are too good to be playing for a guy in a sweat suit
I cannot understand what is going on at Tottenham at the moment. We have got rid of a manager without having one in hand and that is obvious. Three managers are being touted and one of them was recently sacked by Chelsea. Seeing as we seem to be short of money for transfers Don wee have a special Kitty for paying managers off? We do n ot seem to have bought anyone yet and the one that was supposed to be coming still has not. How much longer do we have to wait Harry was a Cockney and talked too much Levy is a Jew and says nothing we are the supporters and want to know what is happening and when will we know who is going to manage our club. And what new players are coming in? Hope this is not going to be another Ramos episode