This is Redknapp
Tuesday, June 5, 2012 at 11:07PM I see a number of you have misunderstood (misinterpreted) Redknapp's CL quote. Either that or simply taken it out of context and stretched it as far as you can for further ammunition aimed at the target on his back. Any excuse, right? Not sure why considering the amount of gold you can so easily find in his back catalogue.
It's Redknapp, he's hardly the most articulate. He has all the elegance of a brick through the window. If you've not seen it, I'm referring to the interview on SNN earlier today. He cited Champions League football, which included the utterance 'it's over-rated'. He was talking about money/contracts and how players use the 'ambition' of CL football as an excuse to earn ridiculous wages elsewhere (reality is players will move to where the money is). Don't even think this is the first time I've heard him say this. And yes, CL does equate to money...but say we had CL, would that see us compete against City and Chelsea for players? No, probably not based on what's already happened this summer with the Hazard whoring.
And yes, Redknapp is always going to deflect in some way, he's done it all season long. In this instance, his vocabulary sets him up to look dismissive more so than the actual point he was attempting to make. Although haters will hate and say that he's only hooking himself onto excuses rather than perhaps attempting to highlight positives. This is Redknapp, it's the way he's built. People need to stop berating him over a trait he will never lose. He's never going to change. Stick a microphone in front of him, if he needs 10 words to make a point, he'll use 100 and the point he makes will protect his own agenda. He'll always protect himself, whether he does it consciously or subconsciously. Get this...all managers do it. Harry just isn't very good at it. What he is good at is contradicting.
Save your energy for the excuses during the season, not outside of it, and not the soundbites used to entertain presenters of Sky Sports News.
Just my opinion.
The bigger questioning (re: the interview) should be over his contract and ye golden contradiction (told you he was good at it) regarding his one remaining year left and the impact it would have on our players (and our transfer targets). That and the fact he can't contain such matters for private consumption between himself and Levy. That was by far the more 'damaging' of his soundbites. But this is also of no surprise. Harry continues to bask in detachment and disassociation.
Watch the video here.
Nothing has changed from the opinions I outlined in my Regression series (click here, scroll down a little). He remains about the short term and about self-serving. Like most people involved in modern football. If he retains focus and if he and Levy work together during the course of the summer then we'll easily compete next season. Again.
Reader Comments (58)
I see the blue retards are out tonight.
London is blue - What no National Front meeting tonight?
London is blue - what so football never existed until you`re russian billionaire turned up?
We don`t expect to win the league, nobody`s said that on here.
Not surprising you didn`t see that though, as we type english on here and judging by your post you`re native tongue is cuntish.
`Looser club` - you thick twat.
He has no tact or finesse. You would never hear Arsen Wenger talking this way. Arsen Wenger would not need to go to the Press to secure his job ! This cockney is only trying put the screws on Levy to hook Spurs with a new contract so he can, if sacked, walk away with millions. Don't you recall what a self assured snob he was when he felt he was the only person for England. He changes his point all the time. Look he needs to keep the cards hidden, not open his gob all the time. He compromises his Chairman and the Club. This is coming from an Arsenal fan
If this idiot stays, the first two clauses in his contract should be:
I shall no speak to the press without prior permission from Mr Levy
I shall no write for the press without prior permission from Mr Levy
One other issue, what type of advice is Jamie giving his dad, I think he is as much to blame as anybody. I thought the man had some sense.
Strange posts, seems HR divides opinion among the glory hunters and true yiddoes (I didn't know there was a distinction). Can't we agree that Tottenham Hotspur is a truly great club. We've had some historic moments circa (Mackay, Blanchflower,Hoddle, Villa) but far fewer than we care to mention. The club is financially well run but limited in comparison to the Billionnaires around it. We have a loyal, vociferous following who like to see the game played openly, quickly, with style and commitment. In the last few seasons we have seen some of the best football played by a Spurs side. We have finished higher up the table than at any time in the Premier League's history. At the start of the season we played some technically brilliant stuff whilst some of our opposition faltered. Then our manager underwent serious health problems, a court case exposing aspects of his private life and the media frenzy of the England job. There were chants from the crowd of "We want you to stay". Our team's performance performance went downhill while some key players showed signs of fatigue. We dropped from 3rd to 4th. For good, for bad, Harry Redknapp didn't get the job. We missed the chances to finish above Arsenal and into automatic qualifying for the Champions League. Chelsea won the European Champions Final - congratulations to them at least they are an English Club. Tottenham Hotspur finished 4th. We are not in the Champions League due to a quirk in the qualification rules. We won't be able to sign the top players in Europe. Daniel Levy and Harry Redknapp will have their work cut out to retain our best players, offload some squad players and sign the left-overs from the Billionaire's Club. Harry Redknapp will continue to work and manipulate the media as best he can before eventually "retiring" into his well earned role in Murdoch's empire on Sky Sports - for services rendered. I think some players will be sad to see him go, while others will see it as an opportunity to prove themselves. What ever you say about Harry Redknapp he has a very good record with Spurs that will be hard to beat without investment and a very special replacement (hopefully not a return to DL's favourite European Management system). The squad can get to the next level under Harry but it needs strengthening with young fresh blood NOW and not left to the end of the transfer window - no more loans and old boys.
I enjoy HR being on Skysports every other day, even if he talks a fair bit of obvious BS'S to the journalists (as admitted in court), I find it entertaining, its better than paying for Spurs TV. I can't understand it when THFC fans take him so literally. He's trying to manage expectations and keep the pressure off the players, while keeping Sky happy. Champions League so what - I'm sure he's more bothered than us - he probably had his bonus on it. As for discussing his contract negotiations with the club on TV - well its taking transparency to a new level. Implying that the players will be affected sounds a bit strong. As for egos, let's face it you need a bit of front to manage the players, media and supporters of a Football Club. You can't keep everybody happy all of the time - but he is doing a good job - so get behind him, stop assassinating his character, insulting his vocabulary (whatever next!) and show him some respect.
DML Please offer HR a two-year extension to his one year contract with a pay rise and stretch bonuses for achieving 1st, 2nd , 3rd places,and winning the Europa Trophy? Allow the manager to get rid of some of the bench-warmers and youngsters that are not up to it for knocked down prices. Please buy that striker from Brazil who's on U-tube for a £kazillion, just to stop the rumours, bring back Graham Carr from Newcastle and buy some more young exciting Left backs, Right Wingers, Attacking Midfield players for next to nothing. Give Kyle Naughton and Stephen Caulkner longer contracts. Start tapping up Chris Hughton. Don't let Modric, Bale and Walker go, ignore all calls from Sir Alex, don't get involved in any last minute loans (unless they're Dutch internationals), get on with that new stadium (apologise for even considering the Olympic Stadium) and start measuring Ledley up for a nice big statue, try to do something about the parking arrangements, near to the ground on matchdays, and the queuing time for Half-time refreshments in the East Stand. and lastly, if you receive any calls from a Chinese or Saudia Arabian businessperson with a helicopter blade rotating in the background.... Please take him seriously.
From that very first dvd scene, you just accept him as Bond. He seems so box set dvds comfortable in the role, plus he has that right blend of suave coolness and dvd physicality that 007 needs.
London is blue - What no National Front meeting tonight?
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