rebrab
Harry Cool
- Jun 13, 2008
- 6,437
- 22,253
The old ones are the best and Harry Redknapp went into work on Thursday to begin preparation for Tottenham's encounter at Stoke this afternoon desperate to tell his favourite story about Tony Pulis. It is one he has recounted before, but such is his enduring skill as a raconteur it never fails to raise a laugh.
'I was telling the players only this morning about when I signed Tony for Bournemouth,' he says with almost boyish enthusiasm. 'I'd driven all the way to Newport on a wet, wintry Tuesday night to see him play. When I got there I made my way across this car park full of puddles to an old wooden hut where I could get a cup of tea, and when I walk in he's sitting there. "I've just driven for six hours to see you play," I said to him. "Oh dear," he says. He'd been dropped.
This time, though, Redknapp recalls the story for a reason because it is part of a much wider point he wishes to make. That, more often than not, the old ones are indeed the best.
If this particular 63-year-old oldie guides his side past the Young Boys of Berne on Wednesday night, he will become only the fourth Englishman to manage in the Champions League. That's if we ignore Steve McClaren and Tony Mowbray on the grounds that they failed to progress beyond the qualifiers and into the first group stage.
If we stick to those rules, only Sir Bobby Robson, Howard Wilkinson and Ray Harford have been there before in the 18 years since the European Cup was given a makeover.
Which makes Redknapp the perfect guy to ask not only why that's the case but also what, after the bitter disappointment of the World Cup, is wrong with the English element of the English game. An English game now in such a mess that we do not so much welcome a declaration from the Football Association that Fabio Capello's successor will be English, as start to panic about who on earth it could be. Especially when two of the country's brightest coaches, McClaren and Glenn Hoddle, have been used and discarded having been given the job long before they were ready.
For many people it should be Redknapp next, his age, experience, man-management skills and success - not just in guiding Tottenham into the top four last season but at Portsmouth and West Ham prior to that - certainly making him an obvious candidate. The man himself shakes his head, however.
'I'd like to start by saying I'm very happy here at Tottenham, but I don't think the FA would ever go for me anyway,' he says.
'I don't think I would ever get the job. I don't know why exactly. I just get the feeling that maybe I wouldn't be their cup of tea. When Capello eventually moves on, I suspect they'll go for a younger man, even though I think it's a job that demands experience. But they're saying they want an Englishman, and while I'd like to see that, I don't see anybody jumping out at me. If Roy (Hodgson) does great at Liverpool he could be a contender but by the time Capello moves on Roy's 65, and you have to wonder if he'd still want it. Right now, I'm just not sure there's an obvious replacement.'
And why? Because the English managers Redknapp would like to one day see at the FA - guys like Sam Allardyce and Steve Bruce - are unlikely to get the opportunity to work at the very highest level and so satisfy the governing body that they are suitable for such a demanding role. For arguably the toughest job in football.
'It's only because they don't get the opportunity to manage a topfour team,' says Redknapp. 'And if you don't get the opportunity to manage one of those clubs, it's going to be very difficult. Everton got there once and we did it last season but, other than that, it's the same teams every year.
'And look at them. The Manchester United job has long been sewn up by Alex (Ferguson). It's been the same at Arsenal with Arsene (Wenger). Chelsea have changed managers but they always go foreign. Liverpool are the only exception, having just gone for Roy, but right now they're not top four.
'As an Englishman, you often have to get promoted to even manage in the Premier League these days. Look at Tony Pulis and Ian Holloway. Guys who have had to learn their trade; work their way up. The way I did when I was doing my own scouting to find players like Tony.
'It's becoming more and more difficult to get an opportunity. Especially when so many owners are now foreign. When's an Englishman going to buy a football club again?
'For the most part it's not happening. I was delighted to see David Sullivan and David Gold take charge at West Ham because it's their club. But Blackburn might be getting new foreign owners. Same at Liverpool. You never hear it's going to be an Englishman.
'And foreign owners invariably go for foreign managers. A sexy name. Some superstar from Italy. And they give them millions to spend, which makes it an easier job. This game is about players and they get the chance to buy fantastic players. If you put them at Blackpool would these managers do any better than Ian Holloway? I doubt it. But they won't have to because they will always get the top jobs.'
Redknapp's fears for the future of the English game go beyond the lack of chances for managers, however. He is worried about the next generation of English players, too.
'I'm concerned about the younger kids because I think we are ruining them,' he says. 'These days, clubs are giving four-year contracts to 15-year-olds. By the time they are 17 or 18 they are on six grand a week. Plus bonuses and all that rubbish. It's crazy, and I think a lot of the lads lose that hunger. They get a professional contract and they think they've already made it.
'Sometimes you can't send them out on loan to a lower division club because they are already earning too much money. I was reading what Gary Neville said the other day, how at the end of each season you'd just be glad to be told you'd got another year. You felt like you'd won the pools
'Today we make it too easy for them, and as a result they don't work hard enough, don't stay out on the training ground and work on becoming the best that they can be.
'When I was at West Ham as a kid, Ron Greenwood would tell us that someone would keep the training ground open for as long as we wanted to be there. We played on a concrete pitch behind the ground, doing shooting practice, playing five-a-side. Ron, who was the best coach I ever saw, said someone would always wait around to lock up after us if we wanted to stay behind and work with a football.
'Frank Lampard trained harder than any kid I ever saw. He got that work ethic from his dad. He was a great trainer too, and it rubbed off on Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick.
'I remember Frank getting some running spikes to work on his speed. He'd be there in the afternoons doing his sprints, getting faster. You don't find too many kids like that these days. They don't want to be out there all afternoon. I've told kids to get some spikes but I'm not sure they ever do.'
Redknapp's focus has to be on the players who have worked hard enough to secure a place in his first team squad. He speaks of Luka Modric being 'the perfect professional', and raves about Tom Huddlestone's performance in Switzerland this week. 'That boy has the talent to be anything he wants,' says Redknapp.
He is desperate to add more strength to his squad before the summer transfer window closes. 'It's not easy because there is so little movement in the transfer market,' he says. 'But we need to do something because I think this season is going to be tougher than ever.
'It gave me a lot of satisfaction to finish fourth. But looking at it now, Man City have got to be in the top four. Looking at that squad it's going to be hard to keep them out. Liverpool are going to be back this year. Aston Villa, Everton. And then, of course, you've got Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United. So it's going to be very tough.'
Right now, though, he wants to be part of this season's Champions League, which means responding to a nervy 3-2 defeat on a plastic pitch in Berne and securing a place in Thursday's draw in Monaco.
'I learnt a lesson the other day,' he admits. 'Never underestimate anyone. I learnt that years ago because when I was at Bournemouth we always raised our game against the bigger teams. That's how we beat Manchester United. It can happen. It happens in the Cup every year.
'We were lucky the other night. We didn't like the pitch. We were feeling sorry for ourselves. The tie could have been over before the second leg at White Hart Lane. But Tom came on and did great, and in the end we did well to give ourselves a chance. The chance to enjoy what would be a great experience for me and the players.'
The kind of experience so few Englishmen get these days.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...hink-Id-England-job-I-feeling-Im-cup-tea.html
There's the interview, some people will say "where does Hudd come into this" but I've noticed he's been singled out a few times recently, even today when his performance wasn't what I would describe as "standout". Thoughts?
'I was telling the players only this morning about when I signed Tony for Bournemouth,' he says with almost boyish enthusiasm. 'I'd driven all the way to Newport on a wet, wintry Tuesday night to see him play. When I got there I made my way across this car park full of puddles to an old wooden hut where I could get a cup of tea, and when I walk in he's sitting there. "I've just driven for six hours to see you play," I said to him. "Oh dear," he says. He'd been dropped.
This time, though, Redknapp recalls the story for a reason because it is part of a much wider point he wishes to make. That, more often than not, the old ones are indeed the best.
If this particular 63-year-old oldie guides his side past the Young Boys of Berne on Wednesday night, he will become only the fourth Englishman to manage in the Champions League. That's if we ignore Steve McClaren and Tony Mowbray on the grounds that they failed to progress beyond the qualifiers and into the first group stage.
If we stick to those rules, only Sir Bobby Robson, Howard Wilkinson and Ray Harford have been there before in the 18 years since the European Cup was given a makeover.
Which makes Redknapp the perfect guy to ask not only why that's the case but also what, after the bitter disappointment of the World Cup, is wrong with the English element of the English game. An English game now in such a mess that we do not so much welcome a declaration from the Football Association that Fabio Capello's successor will be English, as start to panic about who on earth it could be. Especially when two of the country's brightest coaches, McClaren and Glenn Hoddle, have been used and discarded having been given the job long before they were ready.
For many people it should be Redknapp next, his age, experience, man-management skills and success - not just in guiding Tottenham into the top four last season but at Portsmouth and West Ham prior to that - certainly making him an obvious candidate. The man himself shakes his head, however.
'I'd like to start by saying I'm very happy here at Tottenham, but I don't think the FA would ever go for me anyway,' he says.
'I don't think I would ever get the job. I don't know why exactly. I just get the feeling that maybe I wouldn't be their cup of tea. When Capello eventually moves on, I suspect they'll go for a younger man, even though I think it's a job that demands experience. But they're saying they want an Englishman, and while I'd like to see that, I don't see anybody jumping out at me. If Roy (Hodgson) does great at Liverpool he could be a contender but by the time Capello moves on Roy's 65, and you have to wonder if he'd still want it. Right now, I'm just not sure there's an obvious replacement.'
And why? Because the English managers Redknapp would like to one day see at the FA - guys like Sam Allardyce and Steve Bruce - are unlikely to get the opportunity to work at the very highest level and so satisfy the governing body that they are suitable for such a demanding role. For arguably the toughest job in football.
'It's only because they don't get the opportunity to manage a topfour team,' says Redknapp. 'And if you don't get the opportunity to manage one of those clubs, it's going to be very difficult. Everton got there once and we did it last season but, other than that, it's the same teams every year.
'And look at them. The Manchester United job has long been sewn up by Alex (Ferguson). It's been the same at Arsenal with Arsene (Wenger). Chelsea have changed managers but they always go foreign. Liverpool are the only exception, having just gone for Roy, but right now they're not top four.
'As an Englishman, you often have to get promoted to even manage in the Premier League these days. Look at Tony Pulis and Ian Holloway. Guys who have had to learn their trade; work their way up. The way I did when I was doing my own scouting to find players like Tony.
'It's becoming more and more difficult to get an opportunity. Especially when so many owners are now foreign. When's an Englishman going to buy a football club again?
'For the most part it's not happening. I was delighted to see David Sullivan and David Gold take charge at West Ham because it's their club. But Blackburn might be getting new foreign owners. Same at Liverpool. You never hear it's going to be an Englishman.
'And foreign owners invariably go for foreign managers. A sexy name. Some superstar from Italy. And they give them millions to spend, which makes it an easier job. This game is about players and they get the chance to buy fantastic players. If you put them at Blackpool would these managers do any better than Ian Holloway? I doubt it. But they won't have to because they will always get the top jobs.'
Redknapp's fears for the future of the English game go beyond the lack of chances for managers, however. He is worried about the next generation of English players, too.
'I'm concerned about the younger kids because I think we are ruining them,' he says. 'These days, clubs are giving four-year contracts to 15-year-olds. By the time they are 17 or 18 they are on six grand a week. Plus bonuses and all that rubbish. It's crazy, and I think a lot of the lads lose that hunger. They get a professional contract and they think they've already made it.
'Sometimes you can't send them out on loan to a lower division club because they are already earning too much money. I was reading what Gary Neville said the other day, how at the end of each season you'd just be glad to be told you'd got another year. You felt like you'd won the pools
'Today we make it too easy for them, and as a result they don't work hard enough, don't stay out on the training ground and work on becoming the best that they can be.
'When I was at West Ham as a kid, Ron Greenwood would tell us that someone would keep the training ground open for as long as we wanted to be there. We played on a concrete pitch behind the ground, doing shooting practice, playing five-a-side. Ron, who was the best coach I ever saw, said someone would always wait around to lock up after us if we wanted to stay behind and work with a football.
'Frank Lampard trained harder than any kid I ever saw. He got that work ethic from his dad. He was a great trainer too, and it rubbed off on Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick.
'I remember Frank getting some running spikes to work on his speed. He'd be there in the afternoons doing his sprints, getting faster. You don't find too many kids like that these days. They don't want to be out there all afternoon. I've told kids to get some spikes but I'm not sure they ever do.'
Redknapp's focus has to be on the players who have worked hard enough to secure a place in his first team squad. He speaks of Luka Modric being 'the perfect professional', and raves about Tom Huddlestone's performance in Switzerland this week. 'That boy has the talent to be anything he wants,' says Redknapp.
He is desperate to add more strength to his squad before the summer transfer window closes. 'It's not easy because there is so little movement in the transfer market,' he says. 'But we need to do something because I think this season is going to be tougher than ever.
'It gave me a lot of satisfaction to finish fourth. But looking at it now, Man City have got to be in the top four. Looking at that squad it's going to be hard to keep them out. Liverpool are going to be back this year. Aston Villa, Everton. And then, of course, you've got Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United. So it's going to be very tough.'
Right now, though, he wants to be part of this season's Champions League, which means responding to a nervy 3-2 defeat on a plastic pitch in Berne and securing a place in Thursday's draw in Monaco.
'I learnt a lesson the other day,' he admits. 'Never underestimate anyone. I learnt that years ago because when I was at Bournemouth we always raised our game against the bigger teams. That's how we beat Manchester United. It can happen. It happens in the Cup every year.
'We were lucky the other night. We didn't like the pitch. We were feeling sorry for ourselves. The tie could have been over before the second leg at White Hart Lane. But Tom came on and did great, and in the end we did well to give ourselves a chance. The chance to enjoy what would be a great experience for me and the players.'
The kind of experience so few Englishmen get these days.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...hink-Id-England-job-I-feeling-Im-cup-tea.html
There's the interview, some people will say "where does Hudd come into this" but I've noticed he's been singled out a few times recently, even today when his performance wasn't what I would describe as "standout". Thoughts?
