Harry Redknapp: The Aftermath

[ArcspacE]

Of course not MK, don't be silly.

For us to turn it around from here would require outher teams to do us favours - i.e. out of our hands

If we pull it off I'm sure Arry would take all the credit for himself and tell us how we had it all along and he never doubted the team.

 

[Jurgen the German]

If we finish 4th, the players, manager and chairman deserve credit.

If we don't, the players, manager and chairman deserve criticism.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Levy is no fool. Why hand 50-odd million to a man who will (most likely) be off in July when the targets that man has are mostly older players who's appeal is selective and resale value nil especially at the wages they would want? No, Levy quite reasonably expected Redknapp to deliver 3rd place this season in January; I did. He has the tools, he has the squad...in Levy's eyes, CL football AND 50 mill for the incoming manager? Mustard. How was he to know how miserably Harry would fudge things up?

But Levy also had to have known that the teams around us would strengthen their squads too.

Your logic makes sense for this season, but we also made the same mistakes last January in not strengthening our squad sufficiently.

It just doesn't make sense to not give your manager sufficient funds two years running.

 

[Sheffield Spur]

But Levy also had to have known that the teams around us would strengthen their squads too.

Your logic makes sense for this season, but we also made the same mistakes last January in not strengthening our squad sufficiently.

It just doesn't make sense to not give your manager sufficient funds two years running.

Unless Levy just doesn't trust Rednapp with big money signings.

Our transfer window shenaniggans has been going on for a decade. Maybe there is a correlation there, analysing all windows in that period?

 

[The Moonlit Knight]

For us to turn it around from here would require outher teams to do us favours - i.e. out of our hands

If we pull it off I'm sure Arry would take all the credit for himself and tell us how we had it all along and he never doubted the team.

Unless we win every single one of our 38 matches, then our finishing league position is down to other teams as well as our own.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You judge a Manager after all 38 games are played. Where ever we finish this season is where we will deserve to finish, and the Manager AND the players will get the credit/disdain from me at that point. Not before.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Unless Levy just doesn't trust Rednapp with big money signings.

Our transfer window shenaniggans has been going on for a decade. Maybe there is a correlation there, analysing all windows in that period?

He shouldn't have given Redknapp the job in the first place if he doesn't trust him to make big signings.

One thing for certain is whoever the next manager is, he needs to be backed in the transfer windows. I'm not saying we need to spend ?ú100m, but we need to invest more than ?ú5m if we really do have aspirations to play in the CL in the future.

 

[The Moonlit Knight]

Unless Levy just doesn't trust Rednapp with big money signings.

Our transfer window shenaniggans has been going on for a decade. Maybe there is a correlation there, analysing all windows in that period?

We've made big bids apparently, but had them turned down or the player hasn't been interested.

Our fans don't like to face the truth, but the bottom line is as long as we have our strict wage structure we'll struggle to sign a lot of sort after players. However the reason why a team of small stature like ourselves can compete financially with the big boys is due to that sort of prudent financial decision.

 

[The Moonlit Knight]

So the way forward is:

1. Lose Redknapp, one way or another. Preferably with large compo, but how long will that take, if at all.

2. Hire The Right Man as manager. The most important cog in any football club 'machine' Him being experienced in the CL, experienced in the Premiership, experience of solidly competing and qualifying for the CL and competing in it, a good man manager and tactician, shrewd with it, a good communicator (no non-English speaking) and much experience with dealing with big bucks signings and big egos. All roads point to Mourhino. Levy needs to bust the bank, if necessary, to get this man. That is what we should initially splash the cash on.

3. Moyes? Rodgers? They don't tick many of those boxes.

4. Spend big on the right players. With Mourhino in charge, it would be the right time. Without that, he wouldn't join us anyway. With Mourhino in charge, we would dine at the top table for attracting the best players.

5. Buy before the deadline. It should be wrapped up before the start of the window.

If you want the best for Spurs, and I mean be the best, then anything less won't do it. We are kidding ourselves if we think otherwise. We have been fudging about with lesser staff for a very long time, and it gets us nowhere except the usual crash and burn, like now, and the laughing stock yet again. If CL qualification and solidly competing in it is the aim, you won't do it with Redknapp and Saha.

And most importantly of all. Give the Manager time! Fergie's first 5 years in charge at Utd are an excellent example as to why.

 

[DHSF]

Unless Levy just doesn't trust Rednapp with big money signings.
Our transfer window shenaniggans has been going on for a decade. Maybe there is a correlation there, analysing all windows in that period?

In that case you let Harry go and bring in someone who you CAN trust.

 

[Sheffield Spur]

We've made big bids apparently, but had them turned down or the player hasn't been interested.

Our fans don't like to face the truth, but the bottom line is as long as we have our strict wage structure we'll struggle to sign a lot of sort after players. However the reason why a team of small stature like ourselves can compete financially with the big boys is due to that sort of prudent financial decision.

I don't doubt that has happened on some occasions MK, but I dispute that it has happened every time. Suarez being one example. We were making a big bid for him (?ú22m IIRC, like other big money bids Rossi etc), but we dithered - due to Redknapp, allegedly changing him mind - and we lose out when Liverpool up their offer from ?ú12m to ?ú24m when suddenly, Russian money enters the equation. We lose out.

I really don't agree with you on your point of Spurs being a "team of small stature". Clubs of that ilk don't make the big bids like the aforementioned, which may not have happened, but we have bought players in the ?ú14-?ú18m bracket, and that doesn't sound like a team of small stature to me. Its having a wage cap that is holding us back, not saving our neck. I am not advocating tripling the wage bill, but like in my recent other post, I do think we have the financial muscle to compete for a few superstars-elect, and pay them in the ?ú100k+ a week bracket. A risk... yes. But to get the stars of tomorrow who already show that promise, and of the right age to be a valuable financial asset later, will cost. I do think Spurs are a big enough/rich enough outfit to achieve that.

Its a question of ambition/risk vs safety/thrift. The latter will never repeatedly and solidly get you competing in the CL.

 

[punk_is_back`]

We've made big bids apparently, but had them turned down or the player hasn't been interested.

Our fans don't like to face the truth, but the bottom line is as long as we have our strict wage structure we'll struggle to sign a lot of sort after players. However the reason why a team of small stature like ourselves can compete financially with the big boys is due to that sort of prudent financial decision.

Redknapp has also said himself that he doesn't like to spend a lot of money, especially when it's the chairman's money.

 

[Steed Train]

If we finish 4th, the players, manager and chairman deserve credit.

If we don't, the players, manager and chairman deserve criticism.

You should be careful waving that kind of balanced opinion about round here

 

[Sheffield Spur]

And most importantly of all. Give the Manager time! Fergie's first 5 years in charge at Utd are an excellent example as to why.

I totally and utterly agree with that, as long as you get the right man in to allow that long-term risk.

Hire Mourhino. Give him 5 years. You know the man is a winner, so you entrust the clubs plying future to him. And big spending on players because you trust him to get the best, and the best out of them. Like the Mancs have done with SAF for 20 years now. But it must be the right man in the first place. SAF proved himself to be that man with them, and at that time he was afforded that luxury. You cannot do that now unless you want more Redknapp/Gross/Graham disasters.

Hire Mourhino. The right man with the right cv.

 

[GGyid]

I totally and utterly agree with that, as long as you get the right man in to allow that long-term risk.

Hire Mourhino. Give him 5 years. You know the man is a winner, so you entrust the clubs plying future to him. And big spending on players because you trust him to get the best, and the best out of them. Like the Mancs have done with SAF for 20 years now. But it must be the right man in the first place. SAF proved himself to be that man with them, and at that time he was afforded that luxury. You cannot do that now unless you want more Redknapp/Gross/Graham disasters.

Hire Mourhino. The right man with the right cv.

Dream on

 

[Sheffield Spur]

In that case you let Harry go and bring in someone who you CAN trust.

Bang on, brother!8)

 

[ArcspacE]

Can we please once and for all accept Mourinho would never come here. Much like Andres Iniesta wouldn't, etc.

There is absolutely zero chance, especially now that he's managed to establish considerable control within Real Madrid CF

 

[Rorschach]

I totally and utterly agree with that, as long as you get the right man in to allow that long-term risk.

Hire Mourhino. Give him 5 years. You know the man is a winner, so you entrust the clubs plying future to him. And big spending on players because you trust him to get the best, and the best out of them. Like the Mancs have done with SAF for 20 years now. But it must be the right man in the first place. SAF proved himself to be that man with them, and at that time he was afforded that luxury. You cannot do that now unless you want more Redknapp/Gross/Graham disasters.

Hire Mourhino. The right man with the right cv.

While Mourinho is arguably the best manager around would he really hang around for 5 years? Lets face is he is the right man for every club so why would he come here. It's possible I suppose that he is looking for a different type of challenge to the those he's previously had, but it hasn't been his modus opperandi to date.

When I look at Spurs I don't really see a five year project either, or at least I see us as being halfway there as long as we can manage to hold onto our best players. The next manager will not be faced with the squad building exercise that so many previous managers have faced.

 

[Sheffield Spur]

Dream on

Actually, I really don't think that is the case. Spurs are a very rich club. If ever there was a time we have to think big, its now. In fact this ever decresing circle of the same mistakes has to stop now, which has been going on for a decade. Jol may have broken out of that, in the long term, IMHO, but we will never know now. If we offer enough, The Special One would be interested, and you need a man of that stature to attract the best players, which then equals success. I believe we have a very good relationship with JM and Real Madrid. He has won their title hasn't he, and would leave a winner. He wants to come back to London and has been househunting this year(?).

Thats the way it is now. You don't compete in formula one by slinging in a Mini Cooper or an ageing Sierra Cosworth.

I really don't think its a question of dreaming, but rather the alternative continuation of treading water and disasters. Now thats a nightmare.

 

[indospurs]

Knee jerk! He's done an amazing job, but since l'arse we've been downhill. Burn out I suspect, loss of key players to be able to rotate like thudd. All very frustrating.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

So the way forward is:

1. Lose Redknapp, one way or another. Preferably with large compo, but how long will that take, if at all.

2. Hire The Right Man as manager. The most important cog in any football club 'machine' Him being experienced in the CL, experienced in the Premiership, experience of solidly competing and qualifying for the CL and competing in it, a good man manager and tactician, shrewd with it, a good communicator (no non-English speaking) and much experience with dealing with big bucks signings and big egos. All roads point to Mourhino. Levy needs to bust the bank, if necessary, to get this man. That is what we should initially splash the cash on.

3. Moyes? Rodgers? They don't tick many of those boxes.

I agree, if we can get Mourinho, sell him on the challenge of making Spurs great against the English megapowers, then we should do it. He's a great manager.

But, in the very likely event that we can't, I don't think Rodgers and the like should be ruled out. If we limit ourselves to guys with CL experience, we may not get the right man for the club. Just because they've had experience managing a massive club with world class players, it doesn't mean their skill set is what we need.

We need someone to have us right in there with the top 4. Is someone like Ancelotti gonna acheive that just because he's done it with Milan? He very nearly couldn't do it with Chelsea. The requirements for the Spurs job are totally different than the requirements of managing an already established European super-power. You have to manage the egos, make them play to a high level every time. Live with the pressure.

The job at Spurs is different. You have some very good young players but you won't have the budget of a top club. You need to make them play beyond the level expected of them, and that requires a different skill set to managing top class players, with a top class squad and top class resources.

We should absolutely be considering the likes of Rodgers, Martinez, AVB and if it wasn't for the fact that the style of football can be a bit negative, Moyes as well.