It's about the shirt
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:12AM Just remember people. Its about the shirt. What will be will be.
Can't deny Redknapp of the England job. Would make more sense for him to take it at the end of the season. Harry made a point of citing the support he's had from the club during the court case. I hope that counts for something but its hardly the end of days either way. I guess my gut instinct is there's no immediate need for him to replace Capello. It's dependent on how England approach Tottenham. One thing is for certain, I do not believe for a second that Levy has not planned a contingency or two for this scenario. Probably earlier than most expected (the summer being the prudent window for movement) but he'll have our backs covered. Managers, they come and go. We should be grateful that after a decade of mistakes we found swagger and consistency with one that was quite unexpected.
Like I said, it's really in the hands of the FA now. If they request to speak to Harry and want to offer him the job and want him to start it now then we get to see that contingency play out. I will love to see how they deal with the pay-out. If the offer is for the summer, then I'm hoping the distraction does not unbalance the manager and players - even though the sensory overload of news and opinions has already flooded all areas of the press (who adore him and will be relentless in their pursuit).
This is the job he wants more than anything. He simply won't say not to it. If asked.
Best to remember we're not a one-season wonder. We've been on the up for a few seasons now. We're in fantastic shape and the next man in will have one of the best sides in the country to manage.
I'm getting ahead of myself. All that's happened for the minute is Capello has gone. Until the next chess move, we wait. Many seem to have brushed aside the possibility that the FA might look elsewhere.
Newcastle on Saturday. That matters more than anything else at the moment.
COYS.
Reader Comments (34)
Please excuse a slightly ignorant yank for this question...With almost everyone saying that it should be Harry, does the job really require a full-time commitment?
All I ever saw was Fabio at the pitch evaluating talent. So why can't Harry do Spurs full-time until spring/summer and the England job of talent evaluation/picks part-time via tape/matches?
It seems to me that this would be a win/win for everyone. Except of course for the other top-flight clubs ;)
Mourinho in!
Redknapp will of course take the England job when it's offered. To manage England at a World Cup Finals in Brazil is indeed a once in a lifetime opportunity.
However, Spurs and Harry Redknapp and the inept F*ckwits at the F.A. need to sort this mess out without royally f*cking up the remainder of our season.
We've all seen it happen before, individual players and teams become disenchanted and lack motivation when uncertainty reigns. Even United suffered when Fergie prematurely announced his retirement a few seasons ago.
If Redknapp is to become England manager in the summer then good luck to him. But the whole thing needs to be kept out of the club until that time.
Other clubs will use this story to destabilise Tottenham's season. We've already had Rooney come out and say Redknapp is the man for the job. It's obvious why he's done it, it's United's way of contributing to the media sh*tstorm that will envelope our club from now until the summer. The ex A*se and Dipper players who have prominent roles in the media will also be banging the drum for Redknapp, they are all f*cking desperate and will use any means necessary to create trouble.
Redknapp and the players need to remain focused, and keep their eyes on the prize.
COYS.
I hope Real Madrid win Campions League then Mourinho can come back to England and take Harry's job If and only if Harry decides to take the England post. Which I imagine will be quite borring from time to time as there are only games every couple of months. I read in an article a while back that Harry prefers the excitement of week to week matches. We will see. COYS
Mourinho!! Listen that would be amazing but seriously? Don't you think he'd still consider us too smaller a club?
Harry is 64. He would be insane to refuse the England job and the bookies have him 1/3 to take it. However I think he will see the season out at Spurs. Just hope Levy brings in a Manager that has Champions League experience, or David Moyes.
Time for the 'arry out faction to eat a little crow methinks
Eating crow, the most American of sayings. But a nice one nonetheless.
Harry is all but gone, we need the special one in to replace him i feel.
It speaks volumes that all the other premier league players/managers are trying to get Harry into the England job, probably a little worried about how Spurs have progressed under him.
the way the media is openly courting him though is a tad disrespectful no?
the whole country is effectively tapping up our manager.
levy will no doubt have already discussed a pretty hefty compensation package.
mourinho is the only manager who will appease us. we are in a similar position to where chelsea were when he took over (minus russian oligargh)
but will he want the job and could we afford him? he is the highest paid manager in world football but what a statement we would be making with that move, no player will want to leave us.
there is one top manager who will be available that no one has mentioned - capello anyone??
im not a big fan and departing national team managers rarely do well but still, he's a big name
Amazingly balanced, as per.
We should have faith in Levy - in hindsight, he has rarely let us down with the big calls.
Any Saints or Portsmouth fan will tell you Harry's as good as out. Personally I don't think they're right, I think he'll stay. Maybe that's crazy, but I think he likes what he is building at Spurs and knows better than to be murdered by the press every week with England.
Still as long as he waits until the summer perhaps there are technically better managers than Harry, and ones who are available too, who might play a better squad game and bring in, say, Kranjcar occasionally rather than waiting for Van der Vaart's legs to fall off before rotating.
Mourinho? Head says Mourinho. Heart says... Klinsmann.
I honestly don't think he will take the job.
Harry is adored by the media. Taking the job would inevitably bring an initial surge in that feeling, but what about when we crash out of the Euro's or WC at the Quarter Finals stage...? Who would carry the can for that practically habitual failure...? Yep, HR. There is only one way his reputation with fans around the country and in the media can go if he were to take the role, and that's down.
The players, whilst competing in the most exciting league on the planet, are certainly technically deficient in comparison to other national teams.
The spotlight, the extra stress, the constant criticism, the baggage that comes along with the role of England manager...does Harry really want/need this?
Also, the lack of day to day involvement, the chance to 'put an arm around a player' whenever is necessary; this would not be present in such a role.
All of these factors combine to what I believe mean that HR would not accept the England job.
This is a big moment for us. If Harry goes and it's a big IF, It is important the next managerial choice is the correct one. let's assume we maintain our form this season and get top 3/4. It'll be a lot easier to get a top class manager with Champions league football as part of the package. I think we need to be aiming high, The stadium is just around the corner, we've a fantastic team/squad, we are a club on the up. Let's get Mourinho/Hiddink/Capello even. We need someone of this calibre. I have to say I trust in Levy. I don't think he'll let us down. Love the Shirt!!!!
Anyone thinking Mourinho is kidding themselves. He's not coming to Tottenham to deal in loose change. Hiddink maybe, but not ever Mourinho. I'd say Moyes is our man.
With Levy knowing for months that Harry is off and Mourinho saying...
"My passion is England, My next step will be to go back and, if possible, go and stay for a long time."
I wouldn't be so sure initial contact hasn't been made, with the compensation payout we'll get from the F.A we can comfortably pay Jose what he wants, and if the team he inherits is already top 3, why do people seem to think he will demand £50m in transfer funds? The money needed to be spent at Chelsea because they weren't any good.
"but will he (Mourinho) want the job and could we afford him? he is the highest paid manager in world football but what a statement we would be making with that move, no player will want to leave us"
Er...VDV?
First thing is first. Harry needs to get in to training, assure the players he's not going anywhere yet, then get them inspired for the rest of the season. Theres too much talk of us being assured a CL spot, people seem to think it's a given but the longtime yid in me knows this could still go tits up if we get distracted.
Performances are starting to dip. We weren't great against 'pool (yes I know, injuries) but we only played for one half against Wigan and we were damn fortunate against Watford. Prioity for me isn't who the next manager might be, it's 3 points and a solid performance against the Barcodes! Lets get this title tilt back on track! COYS!!
I am wishing for the best for Spurs and have zero consideration about any other factor. I am a big fan of Harry. Not so much of your national team ... If I wasn't a Spurs fan I would laugh at this sudden English belief that Redknapp will rescue you from your propensity to self-implode. None of his man-management skills are going to save you from your hypercritical navel-gazing football press or the self-entitled chav team leaders who are now calling so loudly for 'Arry to take over the national team. I just hope Levy resists the sh*tstorm of patriotic blather he will get from doing what he should do in raking your FA over the coals and extracting as much money from the deal as possible. COYS!
The thing that bothers me is that nobody seems to care about Spurs in this story , if the media would create such a hype around Fergie for NT coach Manure would respond very agressively (i know its diff because HR himself has already talked about the post as NT coach).
But i d rather not have Jose if possible. Saw a nice one on twitter about someone saying to Rio Ferdinand : you talking about HR as England coach is as offensive as Real Madrid players quoting they want Rooney in their team , how would you feel about that?
And as a non english fan i couldn't care less about your NT , sorry.
I'm not convinced of two things:
a) That Harry would actually want all the pressure that comes with managing the national side. Also, he likes to be hands-on, out on the training pitch, day in, day out. With the national job you lose that. At Spurs he's under no pressure to win the league or anything, but as England boss he'd be expected by everyone to win every single game.
b) I don't think I want Mourinho...... Yes, it's possible he could take us that extra mile, but there's a lot of baggage and attitude that comes with him, and not the most watchable football either. He could attract some big name players though.... Personally I would say one of the 3 dutchmen - Van Gaal, Hiddink or Rijkaard.
Mourinho? Not so sure about that. Too much baggage, cynical football and megalomania for me.
On the subject of tapping up managers, I am outraged at the double-standard of those of you who have suggested Klinsi at Spurs!
Joking--I hate the American team even more than your national team. Though I think Klinsi back at WHL would be fun for a minute I'm not sure he's good enough for Spurs. He had a checkered past with the Mannschaft and so far has done relatively little to improve the US team from what I can tell. Still, it's fun to think about ...
@ Belgian Spur as an english fan i couldn't care less about our NT either
Have a read at this very good article by Martin Cloake on why he (and myself for that matter) wouldnt want Mourinho at our club. http://blog.martincloake.com/2012/01/29/why-jose-mourinho-at-spurs-would-not-be-my-cup-of-tea/
Harry's focused on Tottenham and Newcastle on Saturday. Well said Harry.
The Football Association plans to draw up a shortlist of candidates for the England manager's job and wants to appoint someone as "quickly and sensibly" as it can.
Current assistant Stuart Pearce will take charge of England's friendly against Netherlands on 29 February.
Bernstein: "We want to make an appointment that the public are positive about & that excites the fans but we can't be driven by that."
IF Harry goes and IF by some miracle we get Mourinho, I can see a situation where Fergs retires within a year or two and Man Utd come poaching. But I just don't see it happening anyway. The best situation for all is Pearce in charge until May, HR disappears after the last game of the season and we get the new name in place ASAP to spend Levy's war chest and beat Chelsea off Modric again.
Would love Hiddink to do it, proven CV at the highest level, gets his team playing attractive football, wage demands not on the astronomical level of Mourinho. Would also piss off a lot of Chelski fans as an added humourous bonus.
I was all about Brendan Rodgers coming along in the summer but Swansea have just tied him to a 3 year contract.
If Harry does go, then please not Mourinho. I'd have George Graham back before him.
Mourinho for England please, problem solved...
Colbot, the article you linked to is well written and thought out, highlighting that Jose is somewhat self-serving and narcissistic, but Harry "2 Points from 8 Games" Redknapp isn't exactly a self deprecating man himself either now is he?
Agreed 1000 times over on no Mourinho for Spurs. We get mad at Bale for diving now, think that's going to get better or worse if he comes in? Maybe he'll bring in Ramos, give him the armband, and do nothing as we hack our way, red card by red card, against City, Chelsea, United, etc. Disgusting.
Well done as ever Spooky - I like the headline ...... it's always about the shirt, and since it's white it can be easily sullied. Mourinho might bring short-term success but it would be bought at a price, and the price would be paid by the club and by US. I urge everybody to link to Martin Cloake's piece on the 'special one', and then follow his link to Paul Cantwell's piece. If you still want Mourinho, then you want success more than you want glory .... and, as Danny B said, this game is all about glory. Remember, Spurs will still be here and needing our support long after Mourinho has moved on to the next project.
As an American fan, this topic holds little interest to me. I mean really, why would Redknapp ever seriously consider a complete headache of a job like England (unless the FA has future plans to swap Harry for Klinsmann - then giddy up!). So I'll go completely off topic - ever notice that when you pull up the Spurs website it appears Bale, Walker and Modric are lustily staring at the young lady in the swimsuit right above where you, ahem, "enter site". Cracks me up everytime.
We now return you to your regular blogging...
Time to start discussing seriously about the next Spurs coach/manager..... Harry's on 'is bike this summer come what may....
So think about this and apply it to your considerations: What, beside the famous lillywhite, distinguishes (and always has distinguished) Tottenham Hotspur on the playing field from any/all other British football teams?
If you answer that with "a continental style of playing" then you can see where I'm going. But you'll say, "every time we've had a 'foreigner' it ended in tears.... Good point. Why? Because they were grafted on: not just to Spurs but also to the British game. Not only that, they also had to cope with a completely different language at all levels of life. I know continental people with university degrees etc., (not that that gives them an edge) who have walked away baffled at their inability to communicate properly with British "street-life". So you can imagine what it must be like for a strictly football person.
Any ideas?
Tony - I don't think any of the 3 Dutchmen that I've previously suggested would have any problem with maintaining the way we play football, or adjusting to the PL.