Harry on Comolli...

[rez9000]

OK, let's run this past the Commolli-lovers:

Let's say I own a car that doesn't work properly, let's call it a Vauxhall Hotspur. It's engine is screwed, the steering doesn't work, the front bumper's hanging off, the windscreen's broken, and the radio doesn't work.

I then hire two blokes to help me fix the car up - one's a mechanic who'll put it all together and the other's a parts dealer who'll find me the bits I need:

I would expect my parts dealer to come back with three new wheels, a new bumper, parts to fix the engine, the components to rebuild the steering, a windscreen, and a radio.

My parts dealer then comes back with new wing mirrors, a block of iron that could one day be moulded into a front bumper, a steering wheel from an articulated lorry, six windscreen wipers, one bicycle wheel, an air freshener, and the repair manual for a Mini Metro.

My mechanic does what he can with the parts but they're not suitable. Then my parts dealer starts whispering in my ear that the mechanic isn't good enough because the car's still not working. I then fire my mechanic and get some other bloke in who also fails to fix the car.

I then fire them both and get one mechanic in who knows exactly what parts he needs, how to buy them, and how to use them. He gets rid of the parts that aren't suitable, adapts the parts that were bought before to make the car work, and brings in one or two parts that the car needed and manages to get the damn thing running again.

Now, I ask you: who gets the credit for fixing my sodding car? The parts dealer or the new mechanic?

 

[DJS]

Given that Redknapp was once a director of football himself at Portsmouth 10 years ago, working with the then-manager Graham Rix whom he eventually succeeded, he remains staunchly opposed to the practice in English clubs. "I think it's difficult. It happens on the continent and some managers do work that way," he said. "They're happy to have a job and they get on and do what's asked of them, and what they're told, basically. But it wouldn't be for me. I wouldn't fancy it.

"I don't know what the rules are [at Liverpool]. Roy [Hodgson] is a strong character. He's obviously got good knowledge, Damien. He knows the French scene especially, and he's got a big scouting network. In fact, we just lost our French scout, who is excellent. He's just gone to Liverpool. That was Steve Hitchen. He was very, very good. We liked him a lot. He would have been our main scout abroad.

"He's got a big network there, Damien Comolli, obviously in France and abroad. And if he can work with Roy and they discuss, which I'm sure they will, who they're going to bring in, then it's not such a problem, perhaps. They may get on great together."

It was the summer of 2008 that Comolli's transfer strategy at Spurs went awry which, combined with the struggles of Juande Ramos, the manager he had advised Levy appoint, weakened his position. David Bentley, for £15m represents the least value for money among that group, although Modric, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Gomes could all be regarded as successes.

Comolli, who was brought back from St Etienne, had a close relationship with New England Sports Ventures before they acquired Liverpool last month. Redknapp said yesterday that he would only accept working in an environment when he alone was responsible for the club's signings.

Redknapp said: "I just think that if you're going to sign players, unless you're working with someone that you're sure that you want to work with and you know well and you're happy with the situation, it's difficult. Unless you've got a great relationship and you discuss everything and, at the end of the day, you have the final word then that's great.

"But if people are just going to dump players on you and you're the manager and you don't know the players – they're not your signings – there's only one person in the end that suffers and that's you as the manager

"Because someone's going to give you a full-back or whatever and you think, 'He's crap, I don't fancy him', you're lumbered with him. Suddenly, you've spent £8m, £10m or whatever. People only look at you; they don't think, 'Well, it wasn't his decision'. I'd find it difficult.

"I discussed that when I came and spoke to Daniel [Levy about the Spurs job]. But he knew that anyway before he even really met me to talk about the job, that I needed to be able to do my own thing and, if I made a mess of it, then I'd accept the consequences. But I want to make my own decisions: if they're wrong then it's down to me. I'll be the one that goes; I accept that."

This section answers the other thread in regards to whether getting Arnesen back as Sporting Director would be a good idea! :lol:

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Anyone else wish he'd just shut the fuck up? Probably not, I know many of you probably agree, but ghe really fucking annoys me with this shit, if he hasn't got something good to say then don't say anything. It's not difficult. But it's the shitty heavy sarcasm that really gets me...

Anyway, onto the meat of his argument. How many players who played against Arsenal or Werder were signed before Harry's arrival at the club?

Pav, Defoe, Lennon, Bale, Modric, Jenas, Lennon, BAE, Kaboul, Hutton and Gomes.

How many since?

Palacios, Gallas and Crouch.

How many rubbish Commolli players did he sign from us when he was at Portsmouth?

How many Commoli players who didn't make the grade were sold on at a profit?

Now I'm not saying the Frenchman was amazing or anything, but he doesn't deserve Harry's withering put-down.

Then we hear that we've lost our top European scout, the man we'd ear-marked to be in charge of European operations to... Commoli at Liverpool. Why didn't he want to stay with us?

Anyway sometimes, like I say, I wish he'd just keep his mouth closed.

If Comolli himself shut the fuck up, rather than take credit for players who are doing well now several years after he signed them (and I generally stand up for the guy), then Redknapp would have no need to make a withering put down.

Comolli points to Bale etc, but let's have a look at another team he assembled:

Cesar
Chimbonda Rocha Woodgate Gilberto
Bentley Zokora Taarabt Giovani
Pavlyuchenko Rasiak​

Now, I include Woodgate as an indictment of him because, wonderful though Woodgate has been when fit, we're now approaching the 36th Month of his time with us, 18 of which have been spent injured. This for a well paid player who cost a fair few million. I include Pavlyuchenko because, likeable though he is and good though he can be, he cannot really be deemed a success when he has scored so few, limited chances or otherwise. I include Zokora because, able player and fantastic professional though he may have been, to sign him to replace Carrick is akin to replacing your Maserati with a Skoda. None of the other players there need justification for their inclusion in this XI.

Seeing as Comolli is taking all this credit for each and every player doing well, I'm sure he can take blame for each and every flop as well.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Zokora was a superb professional, covered every blade of grass when playing in the white shirt of Tottenham, always put in a shift in a 442 formation.

Think he deserve some respect (not in the same bracket as Rocha)

While I agree with this, to replace a composed, cultured midfielder like Carrick with a man who lacked ball control and the ability to keep play flowing, not to mention a distinct lack of ball winning for a defensive midfielder, was criminal. A good player is not always the right player (see Darren Bent).

That, and the constant diving and rolling around fucked me off no end.

 

[SpurSince57]

I disagree slightly here, as Modric was hardly a household name before he came to us.
I know he had a couple of good games v England in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, but he was never the name people were begging us to sign.

He was hardly an unknown, either, and he was also a player Random very much wanted us to sign; Levy obliged with his famous 'I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse' approach to Dinamo. Comolli had sod all to do with it.

BBLG, we signed Rasiak before Comolli joined us. His first signings were Murphy and Ghaly.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Ok, play a 5 man midfield with those two in their in that case, just Pav up top and no Zokora in the middle. Even better ;-)