The regression of Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham - Part I
Friday, April 27, 2012 at 1:49PM The progression regression of Harry Redknapp's Tottenham - Part I
I'm working towards something. It's fairly drastic but considering I've managed to contradict myself with a number of footballing beliefs I can only find redemption by first cleansing myself of this season's dramatics. This means I have to get it all out of my system.
It would be easy to give a knowing nod of approval towards hindsight and then dissect Redknapp’s tenure in relation to the 2012 season and our mental and physical collapse. Except most of the subject matter I’m about to discuss has been discussed before and many of us have/had given the manager the benefit of the doubt on numerous occasions.
He has built Spurs up to be a competitive team. There has always been fragmentation of opinion regarding his transfer dealings and his tactical prowess and in addition his working relationship with Daniel Levy. We’ve tolerated his sound-biting and the manner in which he displays loyalty to himself above all other things. Most take it for granted that anything he says publicly for the camera or mic is reactive to whatever is going on at that precise moment, suiting his own agenda to protect himself and whatever predicament we happen to find ourselves in. Except it's hardly ever 'we'. It's mostly 'them'.
The media adore him, a comforting extra shield of protection he wears like a badge of honour. Never heavily criticised, unlike some of his counterparts at other clubs. This isn’t to say that he should not take credit for what he’s done. He’s taken plenty of that already. Also, he deserved the right to give it a go at Spurs post-Champions League season. He’s failed. Even if by some miracle we suddenly start playing like a team and other results go in our favour and we qualify in 4th spot (which might not happen thanks to Chelsea), he’s still failed. I’ll explain the reasons why I feel this to be the case. I will also work my way through one or two other talking points.
I guess I should add a caveat here that I'm not setting out to knee-jerk or promote propaganda against Redknapp just because things have turned sour. There's a popular misconception that we're fickle and don't complain when things are going in our favour. That's partly true in some instances (don't change a winning formula for example, was one way of us attempting to deal with the lack of genuine consolidation in the transfer windows) but in most cases we've always admitted to weaknesses and shown concern in some of the decision making. Even when winning.
It's lengthy. So I've broken it up into four blogs. Read at your own leisure.
Transfer Windows
We are never going to know exactly what happens behind the scenes. Sorry to break the hearts of the ITK community but aside from leaked info from football agents its tricky to guess with any certainty what the dynamics are between chairman and manager when it comes to scouting and signing players. If we go by what Redknapp has said in the press (take the Scott Parker saga as an example) you could wager that the chairman wasn’t too keen on signing an ‘aging’ midfielder. With no technical director of football I imagine that Levy keeps an eye out for players that fit into the mantra of who we should be signing (ideally top class 20 - 26 year olds players for example that can provide longevity and that infamous sell-on potential to keep the accounts happy). Levy signed Rafa van der Vaart as a consequence of talking to Madrid in the past. We were given the chance when the Dutchman’s move back to Germany fell through. Opportunistic. A case of manager agreeing to it because the player is ‘top class’ and cheap and the window was about to close.
Did we need Rafa at the time? Maybe, maybe not. You can't say no to such a gift of a transfer and you therefore find a way to accommodate him. That’s what we had to do. For £8M we made it work (although his fitness has always been subject to a variety of question marks). Rafa has a winners mentality and we should have no regrets. But during that window, it was a forward we wanted more than anything. So in truth, we signed someone without having a strategy.
We’ve wanted a genuine forward to lead the line since the Berbatov/Keane partnership disintegrated. Seems to be the most difficult of tasks to accomplish, as with every passing window we shrug despondently at yet more tentative links that turn out to be nothing more than rumours and clubs using the media to leverage price tags or look strong in rejecting.
We’re stuck with a loan player, an old player and a player that’s in and out of the side.
In January we wanted/needed consolidation. Either the money isn’t there or it is but Levy doesn’t want to commit to spending masses of it because of the uncertainty of Redknapp’s future (even back in the new year this was a reason discussed). The money might well be available but chairman and manager are not on the same page if you go by consensus. Harry has turned his nose up at suggested Levy signings and vice versa.
I get the distinct feeling that most of the big name European and South American players we are linked with and supposedly interested to sign are ones that our scouting system target and report back to Levy who then presents to Harry. Harry has his own list of players he targets via expertly not tapping them up via the media.
Fact is, Redknapp thinks in the short term. Literally, from one season to the next. As witnessed by the players he has signed. Some of which have worked. The rest (the ones that arrived in Jan) appeared to be nothing more than cheap cover for the players we allowed to leave. Players that had to leave because they were simply not in the managers plans. Discarded.
To be fair he has got the 'money ball' touch about him. But we should not always be so reliant on cheap options. We've failed in the past when spending big but that doesn't mean we should not be brave enough to speculate in the present.
Our transfer strategy is lopsided.
It's a cluster of crazy if you take the words of Bill Kenwright (Everton chairman) to heart. He spoke to my brother-in-law (cab driver in London) this past week and stated the following about the Steven Pienaar transfer:
- Pienaar was desperate to join Spurs and only Spurs
- Kenwright offered him an increase in wages/new contract, the player rejected any further talks
- Signs for Spurs
- Within 6-8 weeks is back on the phone to Everton saying he hates it at Spurs, he's made a mistake and wants to rejoin Everton. Begs to be signed back asap
- Everton sign him back on loan
- Pienaar will never return to Spurs
Bill appeared to be genuine when discussing this and not that bothered with sharing Pienaar and Everton's experience. Equally interesting and damaging is the alleged comment he made concerning Levy and Redknapp. Pienaar was signed by Levy without Redknapp's knowledge or approval. Crux being that Harry didn't want him or even know he was about to be made a Spurs player.
The worst thing about all this? It's quite believable.
The Squad
This brings me onto the actual squad. We are so finely tuned a side that a single players injury can cause imbalance. We have a wealth of talent, audacious and vibrant and for most of the season hungry and determined. But there are some fundamental flaws in the squad. Again, nothing we don't know but concerns that were very easy to box up and place under the bed and ignore when we we’re jumping up and down on said bed having fun. Now the springs are broken we find ourselves on the cold hard floor without a clue what to do for entertainment.
Pound for pound we have a fantastic first team. Let’s not pretend otherwise. But our squad falters to deceive because it's not been handled with care. We’ve been unfortunate with one or two injuries but this happens to everyone and has happened to us every season for as long as I can remember. It’s no excuse. It does link in with our transfer strategy because say for example, in Lennon’s absence we had no natural cover for the right-wing. Playing Rafa or Bale there is not the answer. Playing either in that position is a solution to a problem created from within. Almost feels like we didn’t think about every position pragmatically and decide where our weakness might hurt us during the course of the season.
We've let players go out on loan which would have been better suited to rotation. Some of our first teamers play if their fit to play rather than being rested periodically to allow for a more sustained challenge across the season and avoid fatigue/burn out.
We have problems in key areas because of the risk that comes with the (successful) system we play and that lack of rotation early on has cost us. I guess you’ll argue why tinker when we’re winning games? Why should players struggle with fatigue in the latter stages of the season when we’ve shown disdain towards the League Cup, pretty much the same towards the Europa League and mis-mashed sides in the FA Cup? Well they do and they have.
You know how you've probably thought 'play the strongest line-up' a few times this season? Works when you show intelligence with selections rather than being completely reliant on certain players and combinations. Harry has rotated players but this is about rotating key players, something he's failed to do.
Parker has old legs. A brilliant signing, one that proved the Harry doubters wrong and equally the ones that did not trust Parker was up for the job (i.e. me). But when there was opportunity to perhaps rest him Harry didn’t. Sandro was injured, Livermore did came into the fold and Huddlestone won’t be back until next season. So with all the graft Parker provides if he’s out of sorts we are instantly weakened in the middle. Playing Niko there has proven to be suicidal. The same principle applies with Lennon on the right as mentioned. There is no genuine depth. And if there isn't you need a workable plan B which we don't appear to have. This in-turn affects tactics and fluidity which ends up with us constantly banging on the door and trying to kick it in rather than simply take the key out of our back pocket.
Up front we signed Adebayor (another Levy signing). A footballer in the true sense of the word that fits into our style of play. He can work the channels and link up. Sadly, he’s not a clinical finisher. If he doesn’t play we revert to two up front and all shape is lost and the midfield surrendered. We are smooth when it works, stutter when important elements are missing.
Our defence has a variety of question marks, prominently the centre-back positions. We need rebuilding here for the future. We were keen on Cahill so the Levy/Redknapp are more than aware of the issues at play here. We ended up with Nelsen. That sums it all up. King and Gallas look spent. Dawson’s injury hasn’t helped. Kaboul has shown promise but needs to play as part of a settled pairing. Caulker will no doubt be part of the squad next season having shown he can cope with the Prem at Swansea. Although we (club and fans) should not weigh him down with expectation. Which is why it's key to sign a new centre-back to give us complete strength and faith at the back.
The squad is light because of the way certain players have been dismissed and others ran into the ground. Our fringe players moved on. We've got no reserves, so our younger players are loaned out. The simple philosophy embraced by Redknapp is not a forward thinking ethos for success.
When things are going well you naturally build on the confidence and rhythm attained with each passing game. When you suffer injuries your resolve is tested. We’ve come through several tests during the first part of the season. So why has it gone so horribly wrong?
Tactics and Formation
Not really sure Redknapp believes he knows what our best line-up and formation is. He has enough about him to take a talented squad and make them play for each other. Back to basics, players in their best positions. Well, for the most part players in their best positions. He seems far removed from this particular trait currently. There is a naivety that sees him struggle with retaining shape. There are times when he has delivered (recently against Swansea). And his record at Spurs is a very strong one (in terms of win %). But he has limitations. Whether this is heavily influenced by outside story arcs or not, on the pitch we have failed when it was so easy to succeed (taking into account our pre-new year form).
The persistence with 442. Accommodating players when perhaps they are better dropped to the bench for the sake of team fluidity. Making decisions based on basic logic rather than tactical engineering (i.e. we can't break opposition down, so change to 2 up front). And so on.
Harry has no patience. He can’t wrap his head around the long game. It’s always a sprint, never a marathon. Everton away is a perfect illustration of ‘just go out and attack them, a goal will come’ team talks. No guile or intelligent game plan to break them down. Just keep on plugging away and it might just happen. The more it doesn't happen the more difficult it becomes to shake off the rust and morale will consequently drop.
There’s no doubting that we’ve played some of the best football in the league this season. When it works, it works. It’s easy to send out a confident team and just get them to keep working the way they’ve been working. Not much in this football lark he’d have you believe. Players need formation as much as formation needs players. When we don't play well, it's not because we're so miserable and calamitous in our performance (okay, maybe once or twice this season) but because we are not functioning correctly. You can almost see where it's going wrong, endlessly, without ever reaching a satisfying conclusion.
On paper and in practice we have been majestic at times. Then the same set of players look like headless chickens in a chaotic den of madness. I guess when Rafa said we never discuss tactics he was telling the truth.
One up front, three men behind the striker with Bale on the left and Rafa as the most forward midfielder. It works. It did work. Parker was a revelation protecting Modric and allowing the pixie playmaker to dictate possession. When it does work its magic. When it doesn’t nobody can find the wand.
The fundamentals are all wrong. There's no balance. There is stagnated application and misfiring effort. The midfield is isolated and without influence. The most forward players are detached from the rest of the team so we're left with few options when attacking. It always looks desperate rather than calculated. Adebayor ghosts to the already over-populated flanks where he finds our over lapping fullbacks running into space (have they actually stopped running this season?) and leaving plenty of available space behind them for the opposition to run into.
We've gone from the side asking all the questions to one struggling to answer them. It's comfortable for teams to have a go at us. We're making it easy for them. The manager is struggling to mix it up and refresh the team to bring back that lost belief. Obviously, there's always room for desire to impact the side, but even that appears to be AWOL.
continued...
Reader Comments (22)
As always - well written, engaging, incisive and sadly.....probably true.
Great post, couldn't agree more with you - as great as Harry is he has his weaknesses and doesn't seem to have a long term plan. It seems Corluka who spoke about Redknapp's lack of rotation being the reason for our tiredness towards the end of the season also agrees with you!
I always thought Pienaar was bought mainly for marketing, not football reasons, as Spurs want to sell stuff in South Africa. So if Levy bought him without telling Redknapp that would figure.
Great post. One important ingredient has been missing from our game since Christmas...... luck, it seems to have deserted us completely
I find it somewhat uncomfortable that when I was at the Newcastle game a large section of the crowd were chanting about wanting HR to stay - now we seem to be booing him/the team. There seems to be the same swing in online opinions too.
As with players, us fans (as a whole) seem to hate him for not being loyal right up to the point they want him out the door ASAP.
On squad rotation, Corluka said a mouthful. A lot of what we were thinking, he was actually saying. Bring in Rodgers to manage and Vorm to goalkeep. We get back Caulker, let's grab one more swan and we'll go a long way.
I think recently someone posted in the comments, the list of transfers made during Redknapp's tenure. Perhaps nowhere as bad as the one's recently made at Liverpool under Dalglish feat. Comolli. They weren't that good though.
I digress. Redknapp claims that nothing at all has changed (really? Winning rather consistently vs Not winning at all. hmmm) he said we're playing the same and we're training the same. I obviously can't say anything for training since I'm not at the training lodge but what I see on the pitch now looks rather different from the first half of the season. I really can't stand to read quotes from 'knapp these days more than before. He actually infuriates me, I'll be watching the last 4 games but in my mind the season is over and has been since February.
Whatever happens the club will still be there next season, the season after and so on.
Block 39 - I had thought that - but.... can a team be so frequently unlucky ....eg balls hitting our own players on the way into the goal, rouge offsides, inability to convert sitters that teams with Arry's wife could have scored... At some points dont the best teams make their won luck?
I mostly agree with your analysis. My conclusion is that in order to improve and to progress, Spurs need Levy to be busy only with his books and to state publicly the short, medium and long term targets of the club. The club should hire an intelligent and with adequate knowledge of the important skills and qualities of the proper players and of the football issues at global level DoF or GD who will run the club and will decide on all football issues including hiring the proper manager and buying players inside the financial frame set up by the board. He will be responsible towards and will refer to the chairman and the board. As you used to say in the past "an accountant can´t run a football club". We need proper persons to do that job. Setting up an adequate scouting system should be also his responsibility. Then everybody would know who would be responsible for the successes and the failures of the club. Because now we don´t know which are the targets, what is going on behind the doors and who is to blame or to congratulate.
Bridgend. I agree but since Bales penalty decision against the Arse we have had nothing but bad luck
If we were to practise a few dead-ball plays it might help I suppose
I think it's geuinely sad that anyone believes that Daniel has ever decided who we sign under Harry. If anyone thinks that Harry would accept being handed players he didn't want by our Chairmen, who has on more than one occassion freely admited to his lack of footballing knowledge is frankly bordering on one of the more hysterical commentaries that the internet seems to throw up so frequently now.
The reality is simple and straight forward.
Harry has the last word, no one has been signed he didn't want. However plenty have NOT signed that he did want.
The three D's are our trio that deal directly with player purchases and sales. For clarity, they are; Daniel, Darren and Donna, but just in case anyone should think that proves that Daniel willy nilly buys or loans players he thinks he likes, I repeat, not a single incoming player deal has been done without Harrys unequivocal agreement. As for the Piennar story, it's as close to a piece of complete and utter fiction as I've ever read. Now whether some Taxi driver decided to spin a yarn or it's simply been fabricated by someone else it's impossible to tell. What I do know factually to my own complete satisfaction is that the story is a piece of complete nonsense and is only bettered as a piece of nonsense by the most recent ITK talk of a bust-up between Harry and Ade. I think it's a dangerous departure for opinion pieces to present key elements to their analysis as facts, it's a slipperly slope and if persisted upon a fast way to lose all and any credibility that may have been accrued to date.
I wrote to Daniel Levy at the beginning of February saying I thought the players looked tired and that I was disappointed with the signings of Saha & Neilson. The team was crying out for an injection of young top quality. Levy & Rednapp "missed the bus" totally leaving us with money in the bank and the sinking feeling of what might have been. Instead of going from strength to strength we face a future possibly without Bale, Modric and virtually certainly Adebayor. Harry apparently thought we played well last week, at least that is what he said, who does he think he's kidding? Corluka is dead right of course, and what is he doing in Germany? At least he can play centre back as well as right back. Gallas is well past his "use by" date and sadly this should be King's last season at Spurs. How ironic that the team we thumped 5-0 looks like finishing above us.
football agency... daniel, darren and donna??
daniel radcliffe, darren day and donna air?
that would explain it
The cab driver is my brother in law. He isn't lying. Tends to share stories about celebs (movies, tv) rather than football most days. Only other football related person he's spoken to is Steve Gibson a few years ago (Gibson took the piss out of Woodgate during that conversation). It's not a fabrication, sorry for that. This isn't 'any other blog', I'm hardly keen on ITK, if you read this blog regularly, which you obviously don't.
Although I couldn't tell you if Bill Kenwright was making it up or not. Don't see why. Neil - if you're reading this mate, comment if you want.
Also - a regular on this blog who worked in the industry shared some details relating to Harry and Levy when attempting to sign a player (he didn't come to us, he went elsewhere in London) from France which does illustrate that Levy and Harry are hardly hand holding when it comes to decision making. I'll ask him if I can share the story.
Clubs sign players without the managers consent all the time, across Europe. Considering the years spent templating continental sides, please don't assume Levy doesn't make decisions above and beyond the manager. Perhaps Bill exaggerated slightly. Perhaps Levy told Harry 'we're going to sign Pienaar' much like he did the same thing with Rafa. Spurs have been doing this for years.
Thankyou for the response Spooky. I look forward to reading Neil's comments.
All this talk about Jose/Pep/Capello/Moyes for manager there is only one man for the job... it's you Spooky, seriously i wish HR would read this, your a wasted talent writing blogs, you need to be in the dressing room where it really counts.
Yet again you have made some very valid points, and it really is a pleasure to read your blogs (so don't take the vacant manager's job at WHL when it comes up)
We have definitely lost the plot, we a shadow of the team we were a few months ago, and that has a great deal to do with HR... the game at QPR was absolutely dire, we were clueless in all departments and beaten by a very poor side, I really hate being negative and always try look on the bright side, but i can't see a way out of this slump, certainly not while HR is at the helm, he has definately lost it the stubborn B'stard, I feel like I'm in a nightmare watching Spurs, ever since the Arse game....please please let me wake up to 3 points on Sunday COYS !!
Neil picking up Daniel Day Lewis is a far better story, if I'm honest.
Well done, Spooky - looking forward to the rest. One gripe, though: The formation that brought us success was 4-4-1-1, with Bale and Lennon as wide midfielders. The switch to 4-2-3-1 - which HAS happened - has not been good for us, since the wingers no longer work as hard defensively. Furthermore, it means that our best player - Bale - now receives the ball further up, which makes it harder for him to utilise his greatest asset - running at the defence.
Now come on people - frustrating as it may be who amongst us didn`t look at the remaining fixtures at the turn of the year and know exactly what was going to happen?
And the reasons are straight forward and we are all well aware of them.
We have a manager who is totally devoid of motivational skills. Each time we play a `top team` it is clear that the focus of the team talk has been their strengths and how to counter them rather than to keep our shape and system and terrify them with our quick sharp passing and movement.
That manager has also shown himself to be tactically ignorant and reactive rather than proactive. And even then the reaction is always too late - who remembers Stoke away and Arsenal away? (ouch).
Yes we were flying in third, but who can honestly look at our results this season and say that there is a single one that you wouldn`t expect us to acheive? And whilst we had a comfortable first half of the season that gave us the chance to slot into our system and increase confidence, it was just inevitable that when the big boys came along it would fall around about our ears.
We always suffer when Lennon is injured, because he provides the constant threat of pace on the right (when he`s played in position) and rather than the obvious ploy of sticking Walker on the wing Redknapp invents all kinds of crazy plans...........Bale on the right? What the hell was he thinking of? So, when Lennon is out the opposition only have to concern themselves with Bale. That is easy for them and we are instantly strangled.
Put another way, anybody could manage our best eleven to a win - it basically consists of showing them the route from the dressing room to the pitch. But when injuries come along and the manager has to do his job Redknapp always comes up short.
I work all week then take one look at the team sheet and know we`re going to lose and why and suggest to myself what the team sheet should actually be. I also know we won`t score from a corner or a free kick. Sure enough once the game is lost - usually around the 70 minute mark - Redknapp will make the necessary substitutions. I`m no football genius and I know I`m not alone in my thoughts. But this is the man`s job. It`s not rocket science, he works with the players all week and has the best seat in the house for every game. For god`s sake man at least see that you need to spend more time on set plays in training.
Redknapp has a great squad but he seems to know them less than anyone. RVV is a great player, but do we really have to finely balance the team just to accomodate one player? The result of this is we have one certain Jermaine Defoe, who bleeds the club and is our greatest goal threat, queueing up for a game behind a striker who is on loan and another who is a veteran who will probably end his career at the end of the season. Who would blame JD if he moved at the end of the season? And if Ade returns to City or they sell him elsewhere and Saha retires, we are without a striker altogether. As I mentioned, not rocket science.
Lack of action in January was a huge mistake. Who couldn`t see that Ledley needed to go part time? Oh yes, Redknapp - the bloke who works with him day in day out didn`t quite spot that one. And now Samba is gone forever. As has Tevez, maybe that one was also a pipe dream but we needed to have a go at him or a top goal scorer from somewhere. It would have been worth paying inflated January prices for two players that would have virtually guaranteed a top four finish, which would be worth several million quid.
So in a nut shell we all seem to be agreed that `Arry is unable to motivate, select the right players and get results against top clubs. Therefore a natural England manager.
As for Tottenham, well one thing has not changed in the forty odd years that I`ve followed them. Timing. `If only that had happened then` And here we are again. With so many talented managers likely to be available in the summer, if only we could have finished in the top four we could have recruited an accomplished coach who could take us the next step.
As it is we will most likely end up with a promising manager who`s ambitions match ours but who is untested.
Who ever it turns out to be I wish him the best of luck. He has the smallest boots in football to fill.
Well said Jeffrey Kaye & Moe. I agree.
J'accuse Harry Redknapp.
This is basically aimed towards footballagency. i read with interest your response and how the taxi driver is lying about the pienaar story. this has upset me greatly as I am the said taxi driver. i picked bill kenwright up from the landmark hotel and took him to pembridge rd w11. i could even tell you the whole conversation we had but it would take to long to type it(i can still give you full details if you really require!) i have to say the open-ness of mr.kenwright surprised me greatly but as spooky said its the second football chairman i have picked up and they were both surprisingly honest and forthright with their views. Steve gibson(boro chairman) was saying things to me that i thought, wow, i could phone the sun and sell them stories, but thought they will be like other small minded fools that will say, god, another london cabbie with a made up story, sigh!! mr.gibson told me stuff about woodgate that would really make you raise your eyebrows( i can fill you in with that info too if you really want), also he told me that Stewart downing (who was strongly linked with a move to spurs at the time) would never sign for spurs as ultimately he wanted to stay up north and his dream move would be to liverpool. although via Aston Villa he was completely right. i pick up many celebs and always have a tale to tell, unfortunately not too many footballers. in fact it has only ever been the two chairmen already mentioned and 5 hull city players coming down for their christmas parties in london in 9 years of being a cabbie. these included dean windass, boas myhill(now at birmingham) and ian atkins the other two were younger and i didn't know their names. the younger ones were fools and full of themselves whereas dean windass was one of the nicest talkative blokes i have ever met. i wish i could pick up more football related personnel but i suppose they know that if they get in a taxi the chances are the driver will support some team and will want to ask them every question they can think of. my conversation with Bill Kenwright opened up with me saying " any chance we can have pienaar back, cos since he went back to everton he has been scoring and playing well." the conversation evolved from there.
i know when the transfer window opens(i listen to talk sport most days, especially on transfer deadline day) there is always a cab driver that has just picked up messi from heathrow and taken him to huddersfield to sign for them!! i am NOT one of them i dont see the point in it? what would i be getting out of that apart from hearing my name mentioned on the radio. i have no need to make this stuff up my life isn't that sad, i love spurs and wouldn't say something to make it sound like spurs are a shoddy outfit, i dont appreciate being called a liar ( which is basically what YOU footballagency are accusing me of being). i was in the taxi,not you, i spoke to bill kenwright, not you. i know how the conversation went,not you.what I KNOW FACTUALLY AND TO MY COMPLETE SATISFACTION is that YOU don't know the full facts and it is not any kind of nonsense as you put it. so please don't say that it is the best piece of fiction you have read, unless you know the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me HOD!!!
oh and by the way Daniel Day Lewis( yes the oscar winning heart-throb)who was also picked up in my taxi, was a complete and utter knob end, but thats a different story all together!!