Harry Admits He Was Indecisive During Transfer Window

[jonathanhotspur]

Harry Redknapp believes Tottenham Hotspur's challenge for a top four spot triggered Chelsea's record-breaking move for Fernando Torres on transfer deadline day.

Chelsea paid a British record £50million to Liverpool for the Spain striker while also spending £23million to bring in Benfica defender David Luiz. And Redknapp claims Chelsea's spending was driven by concerns that last season's Premier League and FA Cup double winners might miss out on a place in next season's UEFA Champions League due to Tottenham's fine form.

"Maybe they got fearful they weren't going to make the Champions League," said Redknapp, whose side beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 yesterday to remain just behind Chelsea in fifth place.

They have made two massive signings and I wouldn't write them off. If anyone finishes above Manchester United it will be Chelsea.

"A month ago everyone was saying if Tottenham are going to make it they have to finish above Chelsea and they did have a dip. But they have made two massive signings and I wouldn't write them off. If anyone finishes above Manchester United it will be Chelsea. But United are red-hot favourites."

Tottenham maintained their challenge in dramatic fashion through an injury-time winner from substitute Niko Kranjcar. That kept Spurs hot on Chelsea's heels and Redknapp admitted he was disappointed at his failure to make a big-money signing during the transfer window.

"It would have been nice to bring someone in January," said Redknapp. "I wanted Phil Neville about eight weeks ago, I thought he would have been good for morale around the club. Other than that I didn't really have anyone I definitely wanted.

"We have two England strikers [Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe], plus Roman Pavlyuchenko and Rafael van der Vaart and I couldn't come up with anyone. [Giuseppe] Rossi [of Villareal] was £36million and it all got too dear. The chairman would have paid the money if we had the right one. I couldn't say we definitely wanted him."

The Spurs manager believes Manchester City struck the best deal of the month when they signed Edin Dzeko from Wolfsburg for £27million while claiming Liverpool's £35million swoop for Newcastle United's Andy Carroll is a gamble. "Probably the boy who went to Man City was probably the best bargain," he added. "He was cheap if he is as good as everyone says he is.

"But other than that I couldn't put my life on a striker who we could have took. Andy Carroll was a gamble. I think he could be a huge success but he is not going to be fit for a while. We thought the quality Phil Neville has as a character might have been as important as bringing in a striker."
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1377860.html?cid=rssfeed&att=

 

[Dr Know]

We thought the quality Phil Neville has as a character might have been as important as bringing in a striker."

mg:mg:mg: Where's that "has Harry lost the plot" thread!!

 

[ryantegan]

I mean it was only 35m we were debating about spending let's just rush in and do a deal. Nothing to see here move on...

 

[jonathanhotspur]

mg:mg:mg: Where's that "has Harry lost the plot" thread!!

Frightening, as Harry himself might say.

 

[jonathanhotspur]

I mean it was only 35m we were debating about spending let's just rush in and do a deal. Nothing to see here move on...

The point is that he couldn't identify a target.

 

[rebrab]

we did agree a fee for Rossi

 

[ryantegan]

The point is that he couldn't identify a target.

For fuck sake you people do my head in. You're a bunch of football manager playing fools. Were talking about spending vast amounts of money during a massively over inflated window where clubs don't want to sell and more importantly the best players don't want to move!

I for one am pleased that we havnt just thrown money at any Tom dick or Harry and were looking to getting the right players in the long run.

Granted we definitely need a striker, but let's get it right!

...just a reminder that since we blew our chances of doing anything this year during the transfer window, we've won 2 games of football

 

[michaelden]

Not a knee jerk as felt this for a bit but Harry for all last seasons wizardry is not doing the best for the club. Not playing his most effective striker and screwing about in the window

 

[ShayLaB]

Not a knee jerk as felt this for a bit but Harry for all last seasons wizardry is not doing the best for the club. Not playing his most effective striker and screwing about in the window

Pav is hardly prolific and does sod all else for the rest of the game.

Crouch creates goals, is great in defensive set pieces and works his socks off. I saw a stat from a recent game were he had covered more ground than anybody else on the pitch. I know Crouch isn't exactly knocking them in with great regularity but he brings more to the team that Pav ever will.

Everyone wanted a terrific new striker brought in but at the sort of money we are talking about it's gotta be exactly the right player. It's not like we are able to afford getting it wrong and trying all over again at the next window at those sort of prices.

 

[Bill_Oddie]

I tell you what, it's worth noting this thread as there's no way in the world Harry doesn't know Dzeko's name. We were well in for him. He's fairly obviously just doing the whole "the boy who went to City" as part of his schtick.

Reassuring in light of his recent transfer related comments and those about Bongani "the other South African lad" Khumalo.

 

[Pauleta01]

I think as much as we all wanted a striker the lift the club, a few more results and all will be forgotten. Harry is dead right, 27m for Dzeko seems like a bargain after what followed, and we just cant make those mistakes, Liverpool shot their bolt, and panicked as Torres left. Looking at the run of fixtures I am more than confident 4th is in reach. This coupled with potentially a run to the qtr's or semi's of the CL, we will be in the position to capitalize on the transfer market in the summer, when City, Chelsea and Liverpool will not be in the market for a big striker. Hopefully Spurs will not wait till the summer and will have a list of viable options being worked on now. We will then look back and think bullet dodged, as out of the strikers that moved I am not sitting here thinking I wish that was us (apart from maybe Torres!!)

 

[Pauleta01]

The anti Harry sentiment on this site is getting laughable now. I am sure people must not have been Spurs fans under Graham, Gross, Hoddle (in the last 6 months) and Ramos. We were shit shit shit shit !!! Harry plays the game as Spurs fans like to dream about, he has not spanked the cash left right and centre (as many on here said he would do when he joined from Portsmouth). He has been considered with his selections. Yes he might not have the Comolli eye for unearthing a player but we are at a different point of our evolution now, under Arnesen and Commoli it was easy to get 6 players in to improve things as poeple were shit in situ.

 

[Nadal75]

The anti Harry sentiment on this site is getting laughable now. I am sure people must not have been Spurs fans under Graham, Gross, Hoddle (in the last 6 months) and Ramos. We were shit shit shit shit !!! Harry plays the game as Spurs fans like to dream about, he has not spanked the cash left right and centre (as many on here said he would do when he joined from Portsmouth). He has been considered with his selections. Yes he might not have the Comolli eye for unearthing a player but we are at a different point of our evolution now, under Arnesen and Commoli it was easy to get 6 players in to improve things as poeple were shit in situ.

This x1000. Totally agree mate.

 

[antiloqus]

is he sure about that?

 

[danielneeds]

No value in January, £35m for Rossi was insane, just as Carroll was.

At least Harry is self-aware enough to question himself over the period.

 

[NEVILLEB]

It is worrying how indecisive he's being over strikers

 

[Dr Know]

For fuck sake you people do my head in. You're a bunch of football manager playing fools. Were talking about spending vast amounts of money during a massively over inflated window where clubs don't want to sell and more importantly the best players don't want to move!

I for one am pleased that we havnt just thrown money at any Tom dick or Harry and were looking to getting the right players in the long run.

Granted we definitely need a striker, but let's get it right!

...just a reminder that since we blew our chances of doing anything this year during the transfer window, we've won 2 games of football

I completely understand why you would defend Harry and maybe because of your links with him you may know a bit more than most on here about Harry as a person but to come on here and call people fools is just not on m8. We read the article and have made comments on it, thats the whole idea no? :shrug:
I never had you down as one of those ITK's that thought because you had some info you felt you could abuse other members why start now? :shrug:

 

[Legend10]

For fuck sake you people do my head in. You're a bunch of football manager playing fools. Were talking about spending vast amounts of money during a massively over inflated window where clubs don't want to sell and more importantly the best players don't want to move!

I for one am pleased that we havnt just thrown money at any Tom dick or Harry and were looking to getting the right players in the long run.

Granted we definitely need a striker, but let's get it right!

...just a reminder that since we blew our chances of doing anything this year during the transfer window, we've won 2 games of football

Look mate there is no need for common sense like this around here, if you're not going to post child like foot stomping 'I want, I want' shit then maybe you shouldn't post!

 

[Spurz]

He could have had suarez for 22 mil if he was decisive... levy wanted him. It was also obvious what levy thought about neville. he must have coughed blood when harry wanted him, and decided ok sure and bid 250k for him knowing everton would reject it immediately. imagine we just bought pienaar off them for 3mil and he only had 6 months left in his contract and we bid some peanuts for their captain. :rofl:

 

[MendD3]

If he had bought Rossi for that much I would of cried! I agree with Harry Dzeko was the best signing and the one that would of 100% been spot on for us, other than getting Forlan for under £10m meh