In my last blog entry, I queried whether we would get a new manager who would engage in some Harry Redknapp style wheeling and dealing in the January window. Of course, we went one better and signed Harry himself! And in the initial glow of his arrival, it appeared that he could do no wrong. However, the gloss is gone now and instead of the positive comments that Harry made initially, he has now gone very negative. Harsh truth as the reality of our squad has dawned on him or just an attempt to maintain his Teflon status?
At this point, I cannot find too much to criticize regarding the accuracy of his recent statements. It has been clear to the majority of fans that our recruitment policy was poor under Comolli and others. Failing to sign the round peg to fit in the round hole of defensive midfield or left wing always seemed inexplicable when we would sign another flair player. Simply put, the Berbatov-Keane partnership, and the goals it generated, covered over a multitude of sins. Without them, we are forced to rely on team play rather than individual brilliance---our goals for tally is indicative of the problem.
Looking at our squad, Harry has now had a chance to see who gets going when it is tough. It is not encouraging. After a goal scoring period, Bent has shrunken from view. Defoe’s return has probably shorn him of what little confidence remained and any decent offer would probably see him heading for the exit. Logically, Harry was talking about Huddlestone when he referred to players sulking at Burnley. While he is still young, there remain major question marks about him making it at the highest level.
While I have agreed with much that Harry has uttered recently, I am concerned that he has chosen to air our dirty linen in public. Apart from trying to insulate Harry from blame, it is difficult to see his purpose in pointedly criticizing his players in the media. While it may have been apparent that Bent missed an easy chance or that Harry would rather played a crippled Gomes than a fit Cesar, saying so to the press is hardly going to improve the chance that they will perform if called upon. Moreover, it belies his initial comments on taking over. It reminds me somewhat of Terry Venables’ statement on taking over that we wouldn’t play the offside trap, which looked somewhat suspect when we had defenders charging forward with arms raised in our first game and he then signed Terry Fenwick. El Tel is, of course, another media darling.
Watching the Burnley game, one could not but help but be struck by the number of assistants that have been amassed in such a short time. What are they all doing? Bond, Jordan, Allen and, on a part time basis, Ferdinand and Sherwood. It really looks like a “jobs for the boys” scenario. It certainly would be nice to hear that they are all focused on discreet roles that are so intense and specific that we need all of them. However, I fear that we may be regressing back to the British model of training as an extreme reaction to the austerity of the Ramos regime. The players (except for those that are publicly criticized) may be happier and better fed, but will they be fit in the last 15 minutes?
With the much vaunted Director of Football approach discarded, and yet another squad overhaul in progress, the question is whether Harry can find the players to bring balance to our squad. For the time being, there does not seem to be any sign of the bargain loans and cheap signings that helped Pompey out. At this point, I fear that the excuses are being readied and publicized (“only two points when I got here…..a chimpanzee must have assembled this squad”) which cannot be a good sign.
Ultimately, we are caught up in another transitional season. Let’s just hope that Harry can stiffen the backbone of the side and that we’ll be wild about him, in a good way, at the end of the season.