Redknapp a Symptom of Premiership's Short Sightedness
If Daniel Levy is to prove he has a vision for Spurs, he should sack Harry Redknapp at the end of the season...
I read with interest today that Aaron Lennon believes Tottenham can still qualify for European competition. While morale may be high after their 4-0 win over Middlesbrough last night, his quotes are ill advised given the mirth that they will be greeted with from Arsenal fans, the media at large and the large mob that seems to enjoy Tottenham Hotspur’s failings. They will no doubt annoy Harry Redknapp too, who let us remember has been brought in to guide Spurs to safety and away from the spectre of relegation. While the “Harry Houdini” headlines that have followed his short Tottenham career are inspired more by an overly friendly relationship with Fleet Street than by his actual performance, it is hard to begrudge what has been a decent, if unspectacular job that he has done since his arrival.
Despite this, it is my belief that should he keep Spurs up, Harry Redknapp should be paid off and removed as manager of the club. Controversial? Yes. Necessary? Definitely.
You see, Spurs need more Aaron Lennons at this club, players that are not afraid to aim higher even if it ultimately results in failure. It is something that has resulted in several recent disappointments for the club, most notably the lasagne-gate incident of the 05/06 season, but what is even more gutting for spurs fans is the fact that the massive disappointment of the following season has led to the club losing its license to dream. Daniel Levy is an excellent chairman on the financial side of the spectrum, and under his stewardship Spurs have become one of the best run clubs in Europe, finishing 14th in terms of turnover out of all clubs in the world. This is despite a relatively small stadium which limits their match day revenue and having never appeared in the champions league. His on the pitch decisions haven’t gone quite as well. The manner in which he sacked Martin Jol was reflective of what a bad decision this was, and having to buy out an expensive 5 year deal that he had lured Juande Ramos with was not a positive move either. Redknapp’s appointment was a watershed however – for the first time Levy had appointed someone not on the basis of a vision for the club, but to fight the relegation wildfires that had spread through it. It was shocking to hear of his complaints about a fixture pile up when he should have been pumping his team up to fight on several fronts, and if I was a spurs fan I would have been horrified at his disdain for the UEFA cup given their lack of European football over the years.
Redknapp’s appointment is an illustration of the pandemic of short-termism that appears to have affected English football. When I look at the English top flight, I see other managers whose stay is only likely to be a brief one. Joe Kinnear’s ill advised appointment as Newcastle boss may yet cost them their top flight status, and Ricky Sbragia taking the reins on Wearside is a similar exercise in stupidity. There is quite simply nothing to suggest that these two managers are ever going to take their respective teams to the level of UEFA cup qualification, and this must be heartbreaking for their supporters. Guus Hiddink is a great manager, but if his comments are truthful and he is not going to stay at Chelsea, then his appointment is a shocking indictment of Roman Abramovich’s supposed footballing knowledge. The fact is, football clubs crave stability, and there are countless items of evidence to support this.
I am not going to insult anyone’s intelligence by going on about Alex Ferguson being given the time to succeed, as this has been covered far too often for me to add anything new to the rhetoric. The most recent example of a club with a vision that has brought them success is Aston Villa. For those unfamiliar with the activities of one Randy Lerner, the Aston Villa owner has shown a view forward that messers Gillett and Hicks would do well to take note of. Lerner's history as owner of the Cleveland Browns NFL franchise has given him an excellent grounding in managing a sporting organisation and he has applied his lessons to Aston Villa in earnest. The appointment of a proven manager on a long term contract was the first step, but trusting his new employee to oversee events on the pitch without interference was crucial. Lerner has shown that the differences in sporting culture across the Atlantic are more than bridgeable by involving the fans in the process of change, letting them take part in matters as diverse as the design of the new club crest to the sponsorship of their kit. (The acorns logo that is emblazoned on Villa’s shirt is that of a charity, not a corporation.) Many balked at the £9.5 million price he spent on Ashley Young, but Lerner’s support of O’Neill meant Villa acquired a player who has quite simply been a revelation. It has taken the course of three seasons to see O’Neill lead his team to the Champions League places however, and one wonders what Martin Jol and Juande Ramos could have achieved had they been afforded the same time.
The ultimate reason for the success of Randy Lerner is not rooted either on the pitch or in the boardroom – it is his understanding of both, and knowing when to get involved in each of them that sets him apart from his fellow chairmen. We see the consequences of progress on the pitch without any off it at Liverpool, and those of someone proficient with the numbers but not with sporting prowess at Spurs. The sad thing for Daniel Levy is how close he probably came to emulating Lerner however. Martin Jol and Juande Ramos were both inspired appointments in my opinion, and despite them not working out were the right ones. Harry Redknapp is a significant backward step for Tottenham, and if Daniel Levy is to prove he has not become too afraid of failure to succeed, he should sack him at end of the season.
posted by Oz @ 7:15 PM
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