scat1620
L'espion mal fait
- May 11, 2008
- 16,382
- 52,865
As cheesy as it is to bring up again on tonight of all nights, let us not forget the TPFEG acronym. To take over from a Ramos side that had talent but no balance, skill but no mental fortitude and, most importantly, Two Points From Eight Games, and to be able to lead that side to Champions League football within the space of just over a season and a half is nothing short of remarkable, IMO.
Sure, Redknapp has had some good tools to work with: a core of very decent players, a decent infrastructure and a chairman who will back him in the transfer market. But it would be criminal to underestimate what Harry has brought to the table with Spurs. He has identified the weak areas in our team and in our squad, and he has brought in players to very specifically address those weaknesses. He has - sometimes through luck, although at the very least equally by good judgement - man-managed many of our underperforming/out-of-favour players to play to their full ability. He has learnt from his tactical mistakes: disappointing performances against Liverpool at Anfield and Man Utd at Old Trafford have been more than made up for with home wins against Arsenal and Chelsea, and tonight's crucial win against Man City at Eastlands - those wins have been just as much about him making the correct calls on picking the right team and getting them playing the right way as they have the players' excellent performances.
And - crucially, and for the first time in my Spurs-supporting lifetime (95/96) - he has given us a mental strength and belief that separates the merely talented from the achievers. I've never seen this last quality in a Spurs team/squad before, and I genuinely believe that Harry is the reason for this mentality at our club. Even our most skilfull players know that they have to WORK to be selected in the team, and they have the belief that they will get the points on the board as a result of knowing that they will work as hard as the opposition.
In short, I have never seen a better manager at my football club than Harry Redknapp, and I would highly doubt that anyone else has either, at least since the start of the Premier League. I feel that Aitch can, if he is given the time and the resources, turn us into a real force in English football again, and I think every Spurs fan should be looking forward to that prospect with justified hope.
COYS!
Sure, Redknapp has had some good tools to work with: a core of very decent players, a decent infrastructure and a chairman who will back him in the transfer market. But it would be criminal to underestimate what Harry has brought to the table with Spurs. He has identified the weak areas in our team and in our squad, and he has brought in players to very specifically address those weaknesses. He has - sometimes through luck, although at the very least equally by good judgement - man-managed many of our underperforming/out-of-favour players to play to their full ability. He has learnt from his tactical mistakes: disappointing performances against Liverpool at Anfield and Man Utd at Old Trafford have been more than made up for with home wins against Arsenal and Chelsea, and tonight's crucial win against Man City at Eastlands - those wins have been just as much about him making the correct calls on picking the right team and getting them playing the right way as they have the players' excellent performances.
And - crucially, and for the first time in my Spurs-supporting lifetime (95/96) - he has given us a mental strength and belief that separates the merely talented from the achievers. I've never seen this last quality in a Spurs team/squad before, and I genuinely believe that Harry is the reason for this mentality at our club. Even our most skilfull players know that they have to WORK to be selected in the team, and they have the belief that they will get the points on the board as a result of knowing that they will work as hard as the opposition.
In short, I have never seen a better manager at my football club than Harry Redknapp, and I would highly doubt that anyone else has either, at least since the start of the Premier League. I feel that Aitch can, if he is given the time and the resources, turn us into a real force in English football again, and I think every Spurs fan should be looking forward to that prospect with justified hope.
COYS!
ray: You've probably booked yourself a shot at the England job when Capello goes as well.
