A View from the Outside

[Geyzer Soze]

After openly flirting with and not getting the England job he then started making noises about a new four year contract and how he would should give it to him in order to show we were backing him iirc... He did seem to be majorly taking the piss at this point given what had happened over that last 6 months.

I also thought it was decision that had quite a lot of input from Joe Lewis, may be wrong?

Didn't he basically try to blackmail a contract out of Levy by announcing that if the players felt unstable they would not play well. (About 6 weeks after telling the press that players didn't give a monkeys who was managing them)

 

[mpickard2087]

Didn't he basically try to blackmail a contract out of Levy by announcing that if the players felt unstable they would not play well. (About 6 weeks after telling the press that players didn't give a monkeys who was managing them)

Vaguely recall something like that, and trying to lobby for it via some media pressure with awful timing due to Levy's mum dying. To me though he pretty brazenly took the approach of trying to get a new contract after his months spent chasing the England job. It all had the impression of 'Well I got rejected by what I thought was a better offer, but don't worry I'm back now! Oh and I'd like a new contract...'.

I think there were many reasons in the end.

 

[double0]

What a brilliant read from a united fan... sometimes you need someone else to tell you yhe truth.

 

[nightgoat]

It was a disappointment but not a reason to sack the manager. Because by definition out strategy was based on another team's performance. If 4th wasn't good enough, regardless of what chelsea did, that amazes me.
But I agree not coming 3rd was disappointing but, you're right, there were a number of contributing factors to that.

Well I don't think that was the only reason Harry was sacked. But, to go back to my original point, if the target set by Levy was 'Champions League qualification' as opposed to 'finish in the top four', which we all know isn't a guarantee of Champions League football, then Harry failed to meet that target despite being in a wonderful position to achieve it.

 

[handsomecake]

all that positive rep for something you didn't even write. you jammy git spurvert.

 

[spurs9]

I like the article but it's missing one crucial point that should have been expanded on, the stadium that we are building (very slowly) is so that the club can actually compete on a more equal playing field.

We would have it now were it not for the global financial crisis slowing things down.

 

[Shadydan]

I don't think Harry was sacked for not qualifying for the CL, after all we did meet our objective of finishing 4th that season. I thought he went because of the England thing and due to the fact that Joe Lewis didn't like him anyway?

Anyway I don't believe that Levy's criteria of 4th or you're out exists, AVB got 5th last season and Levy backed him like he has no other manager.

 

[CheeseGromit]

You could well be right.
Doesn't currently look the brightest decision to replace him with a combination of a woefully inexperienced coach who failed badly in his 1st English job & a DOF who spent money like confetti, regardless of positional need.

My point is that we are lacking strategy & direction. And realism about our aspirations. If you sack a guy for finishing 4th twice, even if you dislike his 'baggage', where do you think the next guy(s) can take us? This isn't about individuals it's about what we can achieve. And right now those CL nights seem a long way away.

For the life of me I cannot understand that when you defend Arry you talk about strategy in the same post The one thing he did not have was a strategy i would say he could not spell yoof either

He is what he is but long term and planning do not go in same sentence when talking about him

 

[Lo Amo Speroni]

Be careful what we wish for........................ I wanted Harry gone because of the things he said and I felt that his flirting with England cost us. I was over the moon when we got AVB and look how that turned out. Tim is not convincing me in any way, shape or form, yet liked him as a player.

I have for many years been impressed with how Daniel Levy has run the club and up until this season have enjoyed every season since 2005.

But now, well now I don't know where we are as a club, I don't want Tim but don't know who we should have, I am starting to doubt Daniel Levy but there is no likelihood of a buyout or know if that is what I want. Sandro apart, I have no real affinity with any players and just feel meh...........

Yet we are still 5th.

Lets be careful what we wish for.

 

[shelfboy68]

Be careful what we wish for........................ I wanted Harry gone because of the things he said and I felt that his flirting with England cost us. I was over the moon when we got AVB and look how that turned out. Tim is not convincing me in any way, shape or form, yet liked him as a player.

I have for many years been impressed with how Daniel Levy has run the club and up until this season have enjoyed every season since 2005.

But now, well now I don't know where we are as a club, I don't want Tim but don't know who we should have, I am starting to doubt Daniel Levy but there is no likelihood of a buyout or know if that is what I want. Sandro apart, I have no real affinity with any players and just feel meh...........

Yet we are still 5th.

Lets be careful what we wish for.

Very true but at what point do the fans decide enough is enough surely it's getting closer.

 

[ecce_tottenham]

Best post ever!

 

[Original # 10]

Finally a bit of good old frickin sense

 

[Misfit]

That's fucking fantastic. Well done you Surrey-dweller, whoever you are!

 

[Lilbaz]

The fact that he keeps sacking managers who declare they were expected to finish in the top 4.

Link please.

 

[thinktank]

all that positive rep for something you didn't even write. you jammy git spurvert.

I didn't give him shit.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

It's a great OP. There are only two missing elements. The first is implied, but not quite stated, and is that once we get the stadium built, as long as we don't overextend ourselves financially doing so, we get to join the party we have been trying to crash since 2004.

The second is that the serial sacking of managers has been in some part responsible for the fact that we only managed to squeak into the Champions League once, despite being there or thereabouts for most of the past 5 years. I can't see how we would be in any worse position if we had just persevered with Redknapp, not because he's perfect, just because we have undergone two upheavals to achieve absolutely fuck-all. And we might actually be considerably better off if we had just kept going. I still insist that the recent histories of Man Utd, Arsenal, Everton and Wigan strongly suggest that stability in itself brings rewards.

We'd also be more fun to watch.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

#getOPto100winners

 

[spurs9]

I still insist that the recent histories of Man Utd, Arsenal, Everton and Wigan strongly suggest that stability in itself brings rewards.

Wigan??

 

[Strikeb4ck]

Can we please sticky this post? Not a joke either, feel we need it in here throughout the summer as it is spot on.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

Wigan??

Very much so. The list of clubs is from a post I wrote on another thread on the subject of sacking managers. Martinez, given job security and a good run of years at the club, worked miracles, not only keeping them up for years on a budget of approximately tuppence, but playing attractive football as well. Had they sacked him after his first flirtation with relegation in their second season, you can bet his successor would have gone down ignominiously the following season.

EDIT: And, oh yes, I seem to recall that he won a trophy. With Wigan. So yes, I think they belong on the list of clubs that have benefited from stability