Harrys love for the Game

[The Sundance Yid]

Is it me or does it look like Harry is losing his love for the game? He doesn't leave his seat at all through out a game. He doesn't look bothered with tactics. He doesn't really look too bothered with motivating players once they are on the pitch. He doesn't instruct substitutes when they are about to come on, it is usually Joe Jordon.

Maybe his off the field problems are getting to him or maybe he just doesn't love the game anymore. After all he he has been managing for 25 odd years and the biggest trophy he has won was the FA cup once. Maybe he doesn't see himself winning anything else. He didn't seem too bothered with the FA cup yesterday with the way we played for the first hour. He took off Modric yesterday when he was involved in the build up to the goal and brought on Kranjcar who is pretty much an exact replacement but less of an influence. He seems to be making alot of these changes lately or not making changes at all.

He also didn't do a post match interview, again Joe Jordan did this. Mind you, it is the first time I recall him not doing the interview. I am probably reading far too much into this but it is just an observation.

[DamoSuzuki]

Let's stop turning on Harry.

[basskadet]

I agree, Damo, I've heard far too much Harry-slagging recently when what he has achieved in the short time he has been at Spurs is nothing short of incredible. People seem to forget that Rome wasn't built in a day & yet we appear to expect not just Rome but the entire flippin' empire!

People also seem to have forgotten just how bad we had become under Ramos. I know Harry constantly reminds everyone that we only had 2 points from 8 games but that actually fails to tell the whole story. I actually feel many of the problems that we are still experiencing are hang-ups from that previous regime. I hadn't really seen a Spurs team struggle before in the way they did under Ramos & I always thought that it would take Harry a full year before we would see any signs of improvement. In fact his impact was almost immediate but every so often the players would slip back into old habits & Harry looked as exasperated as the rest of us.

Those slip ups are happening fewer & further between, so things must be improving, but they are still happening. Every team has off-days tho & we need to be careful not to misinterpret them & start turning on people.

Anyway, I'm positive Harry has not lost his "love of the game". The guy drives up from Portsmouth every day, he still has a smile on his face the majority of the time, when he isn't at Spurs he is flying of to watch football in various locations around the world - the guy lives & breathes football & I don't think he could survive without it.

Having said all that, I'm sure that his off-field troubles are causing him, & the team, more grief than he is making out. I'm not sure it has anything to do with how he is on matchdays tho - I think football is his way of escaping those troubles & getting his mind off it all tbh. It is not true that Harry never moves. Sure on the telly you get shots of him looking very sombre on the bench but that is just Harry. He doesn't get all heated up if he doesn't have to, he sits there & assesses what the problems are with his assistants & he allows Joe Jordan to do all his fretting & shouting!

Even so, at the Leeds game he was up on the touchline frequently, barking orders & stuff. I don't think he'll do it for the sake of it tho, that's all

[BatchSpurs]

Have to say, I was the first to moan that he was so inanimate, but I'd rather have him sat in the dugout as a character and man manager, than in the stands (Allardyce) or a hospital bed (Kinnear) coz he's bust a ventricle screamin at Jenas!!

[EliteKiller]

He's probably like me! If he were to get up he'd go raging around the place (like I do watching on telly at home) he knows we should be winning more it must drive him mad. Keep calm 'Arry you're doing OK, if we stick to our footballing beliefs the results will come.

[andyid1964]

Have to say, I was the first to moan that he was so inanimate, but I'd rather have him sat in the dugout as a character and man manager, than in the stands (Allardyce) or a hospital bed (Kinnear) coz he's bust a ventricle screamin at Jenas!!

not to mention jumping around like a demented imbecile when scoring,,

al la fergie

[basskadet]

I still think we are yet to see what Harry can really bring to this football club. I think he has come here at a slightly unfortunate time & he hasn't really had the opportunity to really build a team in the way he wants. Sure, he came here & got full control over the club & Levy has backed him financially for the most part, but not as much as Comolli got before him. I think Harry has suffered slightly from Comolli's errors both in terms of the players he had at his disposal & the fact that Levy's confidence in splashing out big money has been bruised.

People will talk about how much Harry has had to spend & everything but really, other than Palacios, we'e basically been snatching bargains & discounts. Yes we spent lots on the likes of Defoe, Keane & Crouch but they were all cheaper deals than they really first looked. We actually made money on the Keane deal, Defoe cost us less than the fee due to monies owed & buy-on clauses & we got Crouch for a knock-down fee as he only wanted to sign for us. Thing is, Levy was refusing to pay what Portsmouth really wanted & I can't really imagine him refusing to pay £11m for an International player when Comolli was here - we would hae probably slapped £15m on the table instead.

On top of that, Harry's first window was saw us obsessed with survival - bringing in players who could have an immediate impact & halt the decline, rather than push us forwards. Then, by the time the summer came around, we were all bracing ourselves for the recession. We still spent decent amount but we were far more concerned about expenditure than normal, talk of selling first was already on our mind & we were looking to pick up bargains where we could. This winter tho we have really been prevented from doing any real business & I'm sure that Harry would have much rather had the chance to bring in a few more than he eventually did.

The fact Harry went to Palermo to watch Kjaer & even talked to Sabatini showed Harry's ambitions, & yet we settled for a cut-prie Kaboul. I just wish that Harry could'e come here 2 or 3 years earlier & got to really go fir who he wanted & spend what he wants. Its nobodies fault as such, I'm not trying to have a chip at Levy, it is just the way it is at the moment & everyone bar City are feeling the pinch

not to mention jumping around like a demented imbecile when scoring,,

al la fergie

Well, he does actually do this I'm afraid, especially in big, tense games. He did precisely that against Leeds the other day when JD bagged his hat-trick. This again, for me, shows more that his heart is still in it much more than how he mopes when things aren't going right.

I actually think that it is more down to him thinking exactly about what to say at HT/FT. I know for a fact that Harry doesn't really believe in screaming orders out across a football pitch as it rarely has much of an effect. It works or some managers & it doesn't for others & I'm sure Harry knows what works for him

[ToDareIsToDo]

This is from a story on SSN about the Bolton game:

Meanwhile, Defoe has revealed that Harry Redknapp gave his troops a half-time dressing down during Spurs' lacklustre display against Bolton.

"We should have won it in the end," said the England international.

"We had a bit of a rollicking at half-time and we deserved it because we didn't compete in the first half.

"You know it's always going to be difficult at Bolton. You have to compete and the rest of the game will then take care of itself, we know we'll always create chances.

"First though, you have to compete otherwise a team like Bolton will get on top and that's what happened in the first half."

Harry saves all his anger for half time, spends the game thinking about what needs to be said, carefully observing the team, he doesn't need to bounce around during the game but if he thinks that they need a boot in the koogles then that's exactly what they'll get behind closed doors!

Alot of us also question his substitute making ability, however, maybe this is because he dosnt have "his" squad at his disposal yet, when Arrys been able to bring in the players he wants then maybe hell be able to use them to influence the game better, hes still playing with a largely inherited squad . . . .

[DanSpurs80]

Dont think for one second that Harry has lost his love for the game.

I am sure all this will blow over and we will all be laughing about it in the summer.
But our recent slump, tied in with Harry's private problems, does make you wonder wether it is just Harry's current mental approach to games or wether we can expect a few more changes until Harry has that perfect formula. We can only wait and see.

[Javi]

Maybe he is just ready for retirement ? The guy does look overworked sometimes no way would I think he would loose his love for the came but a job is a job and even if it's your dream job it will still drain you like any other.

[hxspurs]

Although I like Arry, doesn't anybody else think, that he can't take us any further, He's best attribute is getting teams out of the mire, even now if he went back to Portsmouth he'd probably save them from the drop.
Just don't think he's tatically aware enough to get us any further, and we call can see whats happening, so why can't he.

[juergensdive]

I think 'Arry is a good manager...and certainly miles better than Ramos. I have been reluctant to blame the recent dip in form at 'Arry's door....but you can't ignore several facts!
* We are not playing "the Spurs way"...preferring the long ball to Crouch.
* 'Arry has definitely looked subdued on the sideline.
Now he has tax issues that may well be preoccupying him. I also think that when 'Arry spends a lot of money on a player (Crouch) he feels duty-bound to justify the money that he persuaded the board to cough up, by playing him regularly.
I, like the majority of postees on this site, would like to see Pav get a run out in preference to Crouch. BUT! I don't see him in training every day....and am still prepared to give 'Arry the benefit of the doubt....However, when Pav eventually was allowed to play 20 minutes, recently, he passed the ball about beautifully, his positioning was inventive and?....wonder of wonders! He scored a goal!
My conclusion is that 'Arry got us out of a hole. He put belief back in the side! But I can't help wondering if he's reached his peak. Spurs are the biggest club that he has ever coached...perhaps he's punching ubove his weight?
.......Anyone for Jose???

[hxspurs]

Would love to see Jose at the Lane, would never happen, as he'll be hanging on for either Man U or Liverpool, which you can understand.

[BigDub]

Although I like Arry, doesn't anybody else think, that he can't take us any further, He's best attribute is getting teams out of the mire, even now if he went back to Portsmouth he'd probably save them from the drop.
Just don't think he's tatically aware enough to get us any further, and we call can see whats happening, so why can't he.

How can we conclude this already? The man hasn't even had 1 full year at the club. It almost seems like it would have been better for Harry if he had seen us to a 12th or 13th place finish last year. At least then, instead of calling for his head, we might actually give him the credit he deserves for turning the club around after the mess Ramos made.

[kevfball63]

Its early days for Redknapp and he's gonna need lots of time to encourage the Levy type player here ( sell on value if it doesn't work out ) = Harry is the master of the bargain but its usually with very expensive past Legends that are looking for a swansong . I posted a while back about Cloughie booking holidays halfway through the football season . Harry is old stock or old school as in if you've practised it 1,000 times what good is it standing on the sidelines saying anything different . I know Martin Jol used to rally from the sidelines , but it shouldn't come to that .