'Arry: Lennon Not Coached Properly

[donny1013]

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has criticised the previous regime at White Hart Lane by insisting Aaron Lennon was not coached properly and questioning why a second right winger was bought last summer.

Lennon has earned a new five-year contract for his form since Redknapp's arrival in October and put himself in the frame for an England recall, two years since his last cap.

Redknapp has taught Lennon how to create space for himself and feels the 21-year-old still has plenty to learn, despite making his senior debut more than five years ago.

"He has that pace and skill but I don't think he has really been taught how to receive the ball and get the ball," Redknapp said.

"I spoke to him about getting behind people. When he runs behind, even if the ball doesn't come, full-backs are aware and drop off.

"Lots of players haven't been coached over the years, they play and do what they did as kids and then you step up a level. That's why there aren't that many top wingers, you get marked out of the game."

David Bentley arrived from Blackburn last summer in a £17million deal but has struggled for consistency.

Redknapp added: "They couldn't have fancied Lennon that much to have signed Bentley. Why would you sign two wide-right players? Strange, isn't it?"

Lennon's new contract has effectively warned off Liverpool, who were linked with the winger, and Redknapp wants to build a team around players such as Lennon and Luka Modric.

"You have to keep your best players to build a team," he said. "If you start selling your Aaron Lennons then you are back where you were at the start of this season.

"We are in a situation where we are not looking to sell any of our best players this year in the summer."

Modric has been reported in Italy as a target for Juventus, but Redknapp said: "I wouldn't see why anyone would want to leave the Premier League and play in Serie A, we're way in front of them and there is no comparison."

Redknapp feels players such as Lennon need to look at his own nephew, Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, who will be facing Spurs this weekend.

"I don't think I've ever managed a team where he hasn't scored against us," Redknapp said.

"He always scores, always. He has developed into an absolutely fantastic footballer."

Surely after this the writing is on the wall for Hollywood Bentley. It is true though, why we splashed £15mill on Bentley when we already had Lennon is something that has to be pointed at the old regime. Lennon clearly didn't enjoy life under Juande and i think he is the type of player that likes good man management aka Jol and 'Arry

 

[spurs4europe]

I know that Harry is a chief culprit when it comes to telling the listener exactly what that person wants to hear, but I have to confess that Harry Redknapp is growing on me (although I don't like these constant digs at past regimes - let bygones be bygones and lets move on).

No one can argue that he knows how to coach and develop a player in the right way, especially younger players as he did when he was at West Ham, and hopefully he do that with us (although he is benefitting from having our best youngsters starting to blossom just after he arrived).

He does seem like he has his head screwed on right and hopefully will back up statements like these by holding on to our best players. Furthermore, we are starting to play a lot better under him and long may we continue to improve. If we do, there's no saying how close we can get to the top 4.

Come on Harry, keep up the good work and Come On You Spurs!

 

[Dr Know]

I think HR needs to stop going on about what was and concentrate on whats next. I think he is a good manager especially when it comes to getting the best out of players that have fallen (although I think he's met his match with Bentley, god knows how he going to bring him back up to scratch)
This 2 points from 8 games quote has run its course and I think he needs to show the finished article at the end rather than go on about it now, get Lennon to be the best winger in the PL, get Spurs back up the table and next season break into the top 4, then blow your trumpet.

But best of all get Zoko to start scoring and then we will name the new stadium after HR :rofl:

 

[spurs4europe]

I think HR needs to stop going on about what was and concentrate on whats next.

Funny, we said exactly the same thing at exactly the same time!

 

[dontcallme]

It doesn't feel like Lennon has been developed as well as he could have been. I do think he was better off at us than a top four club where he could have been discarded like SWP though.

I have faith that HR will put the right players around Lennon to get the best out of him and we'll start getting to utilise his abilities properly.

Harry saying two wide right players isn't needed does suggest Bentley might be on his way out though.

 

[DJS]

Lennon does seem to have gone up a level since Harry has talen charge and it's good that he's working with him a bit and shows what a good man-manager / motivator he is (even if perhaps he isn't as tactical as some other managers).

Tactics aren't always everything I guess if you can motivate the players and make them all aware of their responsibilities and how they should be playing (which is kind of a different sort of tactition I guess).

 

[Bobishism]

Damn that Martin Jol.

 

[soup]

Lennon does seem to have gone up a level since Harry has talen charge and it's good that he's working with him a bit and shows what a good man-manager / motivator he is (even if perhaps he isn't as tactical as some other managers).

Tactics aren't always everything I guess if you can motivate the players and make them all aware of their responsibilities and how they should be playing (which is kind of a different sort of tactition I guess).

Totally agree.

You've got to be able to make sure your team is first functioning properly and each player knowing his job on a basic level before you can even turn those simple instructions into complicated tactics.

We've known for ages that we've got the playing staff to form a successful team but they've never actually looked like a team and a lot of the time looked pretty disjointed. If some of the players weren't comfortable or fully aware of thier own roles how could other players be expected to be aware of others space and movement.

It looks like Redknapp is making sure Lennon knows what to do and when to do it so as the rest of the team can start to understand what he does and how best to utilise him.

It all seems so basic really but is one of the reasons teams like ManU are so successful, every player knowing his role inside out so when a new player comes in he can fit straight into his slot and not worry about what everyone else is doing, just do his own job well.

Looking at it this way makes it easy to understand why a lot of our players are showing marked improvement under Redknapp to date, they've all got more defined roles in 'a team', rather then all running about like headless chickens. It bodes very well for the future and in turn will give an understanding all the way through the team from the goalie to the strikers.

 

[KILLA_SIN]

Harry should pace himself a little more, next year he will have no one left to blame if things don't go his way.

And his comments are a little short sighted in the fact that shifting all the problems of the team onto the management of the club andplayers under previous regimes, disguises the fact that by in large these same players stopped giving their all for the last two managers when things got tough and let them down. So if that happens again under Harry, he can only blame himself rather than the players as it will be his management/coaching under scrutiny not the players as hes exempting them from all criticism.