Harry: Unhappy Spurs Players are Free to Leave

[lishiyo]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/tottenham/article6116438.ece


Harry Redknapp: Unhappy Spurs players are free to leave

Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, has told Tom Huddlestone, the unsettled midfielder, that he can leave White Hart Lane at the end of the season if he is unhappy.

Redknapp believes his selection policy has been vindicated, having transformed a team who were fighting against relegation when he took over in October into one currently sat in the top half of the Barclays Premier League table and his remarks apply also to David Bentley and other fringe first-team squad members.

“I came and took over a team that was doing no good,” Redknapp said. “So I'm sorry but if people are not happy because they are not playing I really don’t care to be honest with you.

"Whatever I have done I have done it right because I am picking a team that is winning football matches. I have brought players in and the competition became fiercer.”

Huddlestone, who began his first league match in nearly four months against West Ham United on Saturday, should start alongside Wilson Palacios against Newcastle United on Sunday, with Jermaine Jenas out with a hamstring injury.

“Tom is a good player, a terrific player,” Redknapp added. “He could be a top player and he was excellent against West Ham last week but I brought Wilson Palacios in from Wigan Athletic and he has done well for me. It is competition for places. That is how it is for everybody.”



Sounds like Bentley and Hudd will leave tbh. I think there's a good player in Bentley but if he's not willing to fight for his spot, then I won't mind if he leaves, same for Hudd though I'd give him more time since he's younger and has potential, and hasn't really done poorly this season. I guess there's some unrest in our camp, but if we want to be a top 6 side we can't play players just to keep them happy. Though it's only Hudd who's said anything so I think Harry's addressing him, whereas both Pav and Bale have said they want to fight for their spot here.

 

[liberty]

I always admire Harry for his honesty and straight talking on this sort of matter. It's the kind of impact it has when reading or listening to that foreign managers often don't get across to the fans and probably not the players either.

I think he has done a really good job and I hope he continues to do so. I think Palacios will prove to be our best signing since Berbatov.

 

[Kendall]

I'm glad he's said this, all top managers think like this, you can't pussyfoot around whinging players.

 

[Gin+Tonic14]

Keep both, we are bulding a squad not a first 11

 

[fortworthspur]

I'd like to see Hudd stay, he'll get some games. I wont miss Bentley. I dont care what he did at Blackburn - I dont think he's good enough.

 

[tony_parkes]

It's gonna be interesting this summer what Harry does with some of the players who have become marginalised over the last couple of months. Midfield is where it's most competitive for places at the minute and if we do get Downing then it becomes more so. Throw Defoe back into the mix and we're back to 4 strikers competing for 2 places.

Competition is good though, against West Ham there were loads of plaudits for Pav, Zok and Hudd. Did they raise their games to play for their future?

Who will push for a move this summer and who will be happy to fight for their place. I feel the summer will be more about who leaves from the periphery of the first 11 than the couple of players Redknapp signs and which of the youngsters are deemed to be ready to step up to the senior squad.

 

[JKSpurs]

the problem is we are not a good enough team to keep good players like hudd and bentley happy. If your a squad player at man u then you get more game time due to the number of games they play plus they win things. i'd keep bentley and hudd given the chance, Bentley hasn't become a bad player over night and hudd still has good potential. if they go both players will go to mid table clubs look good players for average clubs, and its those sort of players we end up buying !!

 

[rich75]

well he's not wrong is he

 

[Bus-Conductor]

So if Modric wants to leave that's OK ?

I don't understand people applauding another soundbite that clearly isn't honest or correct.

If he was hinest he'd have said "if there's a fringe player who is not really good enough for regular first team football that we get a good enough offer for he might get sold".

Not "anybody wants to go can" which is actually bollocks.

He's done a pretty decent job lately but I frequently wish he'd plug his verbal diorea.

 

[jurgen]

Where did he say anyone who wanted to could go? In fact he said he doesn't care if people are annoyed about not playing because the team comes first - which is actually more similar to what you think he should have said about letting fringe players go at the right price than "anyone can go".

Modric is playing and he's not even mentioned those who are first on the teamsheet in the above quotes, although he's also not really said anyone unhappy can go either to be fair, just that some players will have to lump it as long as the team is playing well, or compete better for a place.

 

[lishiyo]

So if Modric wants to leave that's OK ?

I don't understand people applauding another soundbite that clearly isn't honest or correct.

If he was hinest he'd have said "if there's a fringe player who is not really good enough for regular first team football that we get a good enough offer for he might get sold".

Not "anybody wants to go can" which is actually bollocks.

He's done a pretty decent job lately but I frequently wish he'd plug his verbal diorea.

He hasn't said that anyone could go - in fact he's said several times that he wants to hold on to our best players. My impression is more along the lines of 'if you're not willing to compete for a first team spot here, then you can leave' and he's clearly responding to Hudd's comments earlier. I would actually panic a bit if he said that fringe players not good enough atm can leave, because that would leave our younger players like Bale and Gunter and Gio out in the cold and I'd rather us treat them with some patience.

 

[thfcsteff]

I'm glad he's said this, all top managers think like this, you can't pussyfoot around whinging players.

Absolutely agreed! Nice one 'Arry.

 

[jimmy-jojo]

It's gonna be interesting this summer what Harry does with some of the players who have become marginalised over the last couple of months. Midfield is where it's most competitive for places at the minute and if we do get Downing then it becomes more so. Throw Defoe back into the mix and we're back to 4 strikers competing for 2 places.

Competition is good though, against West Ham there were loads of plaudits for Pav, Zok and Hudd. Did they raise their games to play for their future?

Who will push for a move this summer and who will be happy to fight for their place. I feel the summer will be more about who leaves from the periphery of the first 11 than the couple of players Redknapp signs and which of the youngsters are deemed to be ready to step up to the senior squad.

We don't need 4 out and out strikers. The top 4 have 1 or 2 strikers and the rest of their forward line-ups are players who can play in midfield, too. Keane, Defoe, Pav and Bent can only really play as central strikers.

We should sell Bent and buy Ashley Young for £20m, he would sort out the left of midfield and he can also play as a striker if we found ourselves short.

 

[recklessyido]

We don't need 4 out and out strikers. The top 4 have 1 or 2 strikers and the rest of their forward line-ups are players who can play in midfield, too. Keane, Defoe, Pav and Bent can only really play as central strikers.

We should sell Bent and buy Ashley Young for £20m, he would sort out the left of midfield and he can also play as a striker if we found ourselves short.

£20 million? boy whats the footballing world coming too.

 

[$hoguN]

You're being overly critical there BC and im sure you know it... Harry is simply stating something that top managers have to state, he is telling the squad that giving newspaper interviews doesn't get you into the side, your performances do...

Redknapp has been in the game long enough to know its no good having players who don't want to play for you or players who have talent and believe it should see them guaranteed a starting role... So yes what he has said there will be aimed at the whole squad Lennon, Modric and whoever else included... However if Modric and Lennon playing regularly the majority of us cant see it being an issue so its fucking petty that your trying to slate Redknapp for it

 

[DC_Boy]

HR is consistent on this - he said he agreed with the board's decision to sell Berbs IIRC - he's of the mind and I agree with him, if players want out then let them go (as long as the club gets a fair price)

of course in certain cases you might try harder than others to keep players- and with Berbs we tried pretty hard to keep him unless someone paid big big bucks and lo and behold at the 23rd hour, utd did-

if modric, for example, starts pushing to leave I'm sure he'll get his way eventually, but only at Berbs-style money (as long as we are strong financially anyhow)

ATM none of our key players seem like they want out, which is nice

 

[striebs]

So if Modric wants to leave that's OK ?

I don't understand people applauding another soundbite that clearly isn't honest or correct.

If he was hinest he'd have said "if there's a fringe player who is not really good enough for regular first team football that we get a good enough offer for he might get sold".

Not "anybody wants to go can" which is actually bollocks.

He's done a pretty decent job lately but I frequently wish he'd plug his verbal diorea.

Agree .

Have heard that soundbite so many times from managers/directors outside football who think it is clever to use cheap management tricks .

Perhaps the more senior people on this list could suggest a better way of establishing and maintaining authority than the bully-boy tactic of telling someone with a mortgage and possibly dependents "you know where the door is" ?


Neither financial accounting nor usually management accounting show the hidden cost of losing good people and managers are rarely held to account for failing to retain these most important assets .

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

“I came and took over a team that was doing no good,” Redknapp said. “So I'm sorry but if people are not happy because they are not playing I really don’t care to be honest with you.

"Whatever I have done I have done it right because I am picking a team that is winning football matches. I have brought players in and the competition became fiercer.”

“Tom is a good player, a terrific player,” Redknapp added. “He could be a top player and he was excellent against West Ham last week but I brought Wilson Palacios in from Wigan Athletic and he has done well for me. It is competition for places. That is how it is for everybody.”

I think the key phrase is "It is competition for places. That is how it is for everybody" and quite right too. Perform and you're in.

I've read 'arry's quotes a couple of times and still can't see where he says anyone is free to leave. :shrug:

 

[Yid-ol]

you missed out this bit to A&C

So I'm sorry but if people are not happy because they are not playing I really don’t care to be honest with you

he is clearly talking about the players who arnt getting first team football

 

[fazza]

Stop getting on a managers back for a few comments that might not even be true, and if they are then so what, we are now 9th, did anyone actually expect to be in that position 4 or 5 months ago? If your a realist then no, co's we looked done and dusted before Harry came in, the team were going nowhere but down.

So if players like Bentley and co are sold then thats up to Harry, he'd bring in replcements probably half the price of some of those and they will probably do a better job.