We done ’em.
But to listen to some of the natives we actually lost 1-2 and were relegated ourselves. I have listened to Arry and I have listened to the voices of discontent. I am one of those voices, to an extent. No sentient being likes being called an idiot. And as I hopefully made the point in my Gerald Ratner piece, Arry is sailing naffin’ close to the wind here.
He lacks many things but good grace has now emerged as something he wouldn’t recognise if it painted itself pink, leaped out of a birthday cake and singing ‘Good Grace Is Here Again’ to a full orchestral accompaniment. Clearly the hostile nature of The Lane is getting to him. Well if you can’t stand the heat…
And such is the advice I’d also give to those demanding his dismissal. Okay, he’s biting the hand that feeds, I get that. But so what? The man’s clearly a fool but if there’s a hanging to be had let’s hang him on his achievements or lack of them as a manager. Not on his inability to cope with being asked pretty straightforward questions by a bloke with a microphone.
I’m more concerned with his ability to put right the wrongs of the last window and sort out a goalie – if all faith in Gomes is lost, – a striker to partner Pav, and another defender to acknowledge that Woody is a gonner and Ledders is nothing more than an occasional treat.
The bottom line is that we have European football and I think some have lost sight of what that means. We mustn’t allow ourselves to degenerate into becoming part of those disagreeable Droogs that seem incapable of humor, of joy.
These Droogs, these low brow beasts expect us to win every game and for no one to ever make a mistake. Sure, when I see Jermaine J**** has been telling some poor hack that he’s determined to push on for a fourth place finish my first urge is remove his larynx with gardening trowel, but I don’t call time on my support for the whole shebang.
There is a expediency these days in football that would make the be-headings during the French Revolution appear considered. Carlo Ancelotti has been binned or binned by mutual consent at Second Hand Fridge. This is nothing shy of insane.
Clearly an intelligent man. A winner as both a player and as a manager. He oversaw a Cheatski side that had their number one goalscorer out with Malaria and their 20 goals a season midfield supremo out with injury and still finished second. The verdict? Not good enough, ‘Miss Jones might you be so kind as to send the next candidate in, thank you so much.’
No Champions League football is a disappointment but hardly plunges us into raging sea of ‘can’t cope without you’. Does it? Does it really? The positives of Arry’s reign appear to some to have been eclipsed by not only his daft comments but by his mistakes. Have they really?
Arry’s backed wrong horses. If any of you venture into a bookmakers, you will notice that most customers after placing their bets have no need to make a return trip to the counter to collect. Whilst we would expect him to have a higher success rate than your average punter, the point I make is that everybody makes mistakes.
Football management is no different to any other discipline and the fewer you make, the better you do.
Defoe has been a complete flop. 3 MP has been as useful as a puncture in a life-jacket. Yes I am aware of him single handed scoring that goal wot got us into the Champions League but I am equally aware of the other one he scored that confirmed we were out of it.
Arry has made mistakes, but getting to the quarter finals of the Champions League, a booking for another, if less glamorous European tour, if compounded by retaining the services of the Boy Bale and Modders cannot be judged as a disgrace.
Yes he needs to pull his finger out and buy in chaps for where we are light, yes he needs to wake up and realise that out of our existing strikers Pav is the only one worth retaining.
Arry has limited skill sets. He can’t communicate well with ‘non nationals’. Is telling Pav to run about a bit actually all that funny when you discover that it’s true? Trust me, he’s replace Modders with Scott Parker if he could get away with it. ‘Well at least you can talk to ‘im’ would be the line.
Instead of calling us idiots, he’d do well to listen before opening that seeping East End drain of a gob of his. Remember when he was about to bring Ghally on and suddenly thought better of it? Try a bit more of that Arold my old china. Crouch was verbally abused (I suspect he probably prefers a more hands on, mildly lubed approach) yesterday by a Client Reference number. Twice.
Pav scored a pair of Champions League quality goals and when he’s in the ground we sing his name.
Look, I’ve got to make some lunch. But what I’m saying is, the abuse on both sides is partly justified but let’s not lose sight of what we’ve got here and where we’re heading. And remember what a great man once said…
What sort of message dors Harry’s interview send out to our players, stay here if you want to be on the coat tails of the top four. Levy needs no other excuse than what was said yesterday to pull the trigger and get shot of this arsehole, do it Danny :daumen:
agreed!
not agreed !
I think you mean disagree
You hang on to every word an old cockney rebel spits out. He’s probably right…
As I sit here reading the ‘sack him ‘comments I’m reminded of the Harry Enfield/Paul Whitehouse sketch with the two angry brothers in the pub….”Oi! Redknapp…NO!!”.
Old ‘Arry’s comments are, in the main, the mark of a man who says what’s on his mind …not necessarily thinking before opening mouth… but it’s always been his way. He’s certainly not from the ‘politically correct’ school of public speaking. Some people look at this approach as open and honest – even if it does ruffle a few feathers.
Now I am not sure it’s wise to criticize your fan-base (or in the modern football era – your market segment) and he might want to moderate his public statements sometimes. But I watched both the BBC and Sky after-match interviews, and whilst the first was a tad more measured and controlled – he was clearly irritated during the Sky interview when the interviewer mentioned ‘the phone –in calls’. And rather than fume and froth I began to think – why is this?
Now this might not be popular but – in the league Harry’s games won/games played ratio, post the infamous “two points from 8 games” takeover, is around 48%. Call me ‘Staty’ if you want but this is better than some of our most popular managers (in our living memory) – Bill Nick (over 15 full seasons) 47%, Keith B over his 4 best years (80/81 – 83/84) 42%, the Venables era (88/9 – 92/3) 36%.
Under old H we’ve gone from bottom to 8th, 4th, and 5th in successive seasons, and played in the top European competition for the first time in 50 years – and it’s not as if we ain’t seen some very good footie either! The last two seasons have been the best we’ve had since the PL started – which for many fans is the only THFC experience they’ve had! And yet some people still ain’t happy and feel the need to go national and call for his head.
Now I’m not defending his method – he could phrase his disappointment /frustration a wee bit more sensitively. But is it any wonder he has reacted in the way he has….he has a point, hasn’t he?
We have a good settled squad, with the chairman seemingly determined to keep the quality players and (within financial reason) making a few top quality additions. Sacking Redknapp now would I’d guess restore some fans’ pride / self-respect but would, have no doubt about it, send us back to the pre-Jol era mid-table mediocrity.
There’s a phrase that includes the words cut, nose, spite and face. Be careful what you wish for…….
I do believe I have not ranted once or called for Harrys head.
Am I wrong then for not wanting better?
If you want to believe I am a 16 year old Spurs fan whos still wet behind the ears then fine.
I really couldnt give a sh*t.
Apparently though many of you (adults only apparently as Im a kid) would still be happy to have never got into the CL as that is “progress” from the Europa league (Eufa Cup) and we were in that a few years ago!!!
Why should we want better??????
I see what you are saying, he is like a top drawer manager without the trophies
I just dont get why everyone is happy to settle for one season in the CL when we will never get a better chance to qualify for it again.
Its only going to get harder.
Seeing all the memories on the big screens at WHL just made me realise how much im going to miss going to the San Siro, Bernabeu etc.
I had a taste of it and I liked it.
Sue me.
Believe me I want better – I’ve experienced it. (As Bob Hope once said ” I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor…belive me rich is best”). And maybe ‘Arry isn’t the top drawer manager we’d all like. But with the squad we’ve got, and where we are (compared to the period 1992 – 2005) I’m not convinced that ‘sacking him ‘cos he can’t open his mouth without upsetting someone’ is a sensible short term answer. If we can’t/don’t challenge for top 4 (or dare i say the title) next season then fine. But have a plan – line someone up who’s gonna make it better. Jol got sacked at half time and we had a replacement lined it seems – but the gloss soon wore off on that one.
Please refer me back to the point we I asked for Harry to be sacked. I beseech you.
But the man said it from his very own Blackwall tunnel of a mouth, he cannot compete and this season was as good as it is going to get. Not Bob Hope, Harry Redknapp
That was because he took the ketchup of big Tom :whistle:
Old Redders epitaph: “It’s always gonna be difficult.”
I’m pretty sure he utters this stupid mantra in every interview. :-D