How good is Harry in the transfer market?

[sloth]

I think HR is amazing when he has one competition to worry about.

I don't think he is good with 3 comps and a large squad because he starts to act a little queer. (Bentley on the left, Sandro left at the Airport, young Boys away etc)

Between now and the second AC Milan game is where IMO we will lose ground in the Prem. He tends to look past games to the big ones, and that can lead to us losing points to minnows.

I'll get proven right or wrong over the next 2 months. If he get through this period and we are still in title contention, I will bow to the feet of HR and renounce my claim he is a small time manager. I think beating AC is a big ask. I don't care who is in charge, I don't think the team can swing it. So I'm not judging him on that. The prem, when we have 2 other comps to worry about, is where the big managers tend to show their stuff.

Sloth walks into a bar and announces in a loud voice that he's a prophet, "Watch this," he says "I'll show you how good I am," and with a flourish he produces an ordinary coin.

"Go on toss it," he says to the first man to meet his eye, "it's going to be heads, I can see it!"

Someone else grumbles at him not to be daft, he can't possibly predict the future.

Sloth tells everyone to hush down, "I'm sticking my neck out," he says "we're soon going find out whether I spoke the truth or not."

The coin's tossed....

It's heads!

Sloth turns in triumph to the crowd, "See, I told you I knew it was going to be heads," he crows "and that throw proves it!"

Sloth struts about the room beaming at his cleverness.

The crowd simply shakes it's collective head and returns to its beer.

 

[DogsOfWar]

In my opinion Harry's purchase of Palacios and Defoe/Crouch (the best available strikers outside the top four at the time) were the missing links in the starting eleven which, ultimately, got us fourth place.

Kranjcar for a pittance and Bassong/Sandro as future CB/CMs were also top class buys.

Top this off with VdV for £8 million and Gallas for nothing and it doesn't get much better.​

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I think Harry has reversed a couple of perceptions the public had of him while he's been here.

One was that he wasn't that great a coach. He actually is.

The other is that he's a wheeler-dealer.....He actually isn't. We've had less activity under him than I can remember.

I am not seeing any evidence that he is a great coach. We don't press the ball, we don't play as a coherent unit, we play in fits and starts. Great 20 minutes, shit 20 minutes. We don't make enough quality chances in games for the players we have. We don't move off the ball very well at times and I can't think of single player who has visibly been coached to play better than they were. Kaboul maybe ?

He may not be the worst coach in the EPL either, but I would need someone to explain, giving examples and anecdotal evidence, how Redknapp's "great" coaching is manifesting itself. How are we moving, playing, interacting, retaining the ball, etc etc. Because, for me, throughout his career, it has always appeared to me that he likes to buy proven quality players and pretty much let them get on with it. He'll shuffle them around the pitch a bit, and will often make the right changes in team selection, but I'm talking about what players are doing, over and above what comes natural that is clearly being "coached".

One of the reasons he hasn't wheeled and dealed quite as much though, is presumably because ours was the best squad he'd ever inherited.

Don't get me wrong, I like who he has brought in, and it's the one area of his management that I've never worried about. I don't think he'll ever unearth a hidden gem, but we used to have a DOF for that, Redknapp buy's proven players and usually buys what's needed. What worries me slightly is our recent success has been very heavily influenced by our duel policy of buying quality players and buying and developing talented kids 15-21 such as Lennon, Bale & Hudd and we don't seem to be hearing very much about this side of our policy anymore. Right up until Redknapp took over we were continually signing promising kids from various parts of the UK, Europe and the globe. We barely here about any these days. It worries me a little, as this policy is vital to any club.

 

[gibbs131]

Didn't the unbeaten run contain two champions league games in the middle of it? Bremen 3-0 and Twente 3-3. Either side of the Bremen win we beat Arsenal 3-2 and Liverpool 2-1.

Seriously, what the fuck are you talking about? :lol:

This is why I don't respond to you. Did you read my post? I said he overlooks MINNOWS. If you think Arsenal and Liverpool are minnows then fair enough.

These are all results during cup comps:

Wigan Athletic lost
West Brom draw
West Ham lost
Everton draw
Bolton lost
Sunderland draw
Birmingham draw

He's always up for the sexy games. Arsenal in the cup though was a little strange. Bentley on the left etc.

 

[gibbs131]

The point is Gibbo, you are "sticking your neck out" on something that is mere common knowledge.

All managers struggle with juggling competitions, even the best of them all, Lord Fergie has at various times through the years. This is Harry's first time doing it, so what can anyone expect?

The point is in, January we are still very much in the hunt for all three, and he should be applauded.

Why? Apart from Ramos and one year with Jol we have always been in touch with 4th. Sometimes going to last day. Liverpool going into freefall a few years back and Jol would have been sorted.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

I am not seeing any evidence that he is a great coach. We don't press the ball, we don't play as a coherent unit, we play in fits and starts. Great 20 minutes, shit 20 minutes. We don't make enough quality chances in games for the players we have. We don't move off the ball very well at times and I can't think of single player who has visibly been coached to play better than they were. Kaboul maybe ?

He may not be the worst coach in the EPL either, but I would need someone to explain, giving examples and anecdotal evidence, how Redknapp's "great" coaching is manifesting itself. How are we moving, playing, interacting, retaining the ball, etc etc. Because, for me, throughout his career, it has always appeared to me that he likes to buy proven quality players and pretty much let them get on with it. He'll shuffle them around the pitch a bit, and will often make the right changes in team selection, but I'm talking about what players are doing, over and above what comes natural that is clearly being "coached".

One of the reasons he hasn't wheeled and dealed quite as much though, is presumably because ours was the best squad he'd ever inherited.

Don't get me wrong, I like who he has brought in, and it's the one area of his management that I've never worried about. I don't think he'll ever unearth a hidden gem, but we used to have a DOF for that, Redknapp buy's proven players and usually buys what's needed. What worries me slightly is our recent success has been very heavily influenced by our duel policy of buying quality players and buying and developing talented kids 15-21 such as Lennon, Bale & Hudd and we don't seem to be hearing very much about this side of our policy anymore. Right up until Redknapp took over we were continually signing promising kids from various parts of the UK, Europe and the globe. We barely here about any these days. It worries me a little, as this policy is vital to any club.

If that's your criteria for a great coach then we haven't had one in 20 years.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

This is why I don't respond to you. Did you read my post? I said he overlooks MINNOWS. If you think Arsenal and Liverpool are minnows then fair enough.

These are all results during cup comps:

Wigan Athletic lost
West Brom draw
West Ham lost
Everton draw
Bolton lost
Sunderland draw
Birmingham draw

He's always up for the sexy games. Arsenal in the cup though was a little strange. Bentley on the left etc.

You really are a jumped up little sheep aren't you? :lol:

In the post I quoted you said "we had no distractions and went on an unbeaten run" to which I pointed out that during the unbeaten run we actually played 2 champ league games. What the FUCK are they if they aren't distractions?? This is what you always do that winds everyone up, you make 184 posts on a subject so you can pick and choose which one you quote from!

You're being found out Gibbs :lol:

Find the quote from HR about VdV that you were claiming and I will tell you that you are RIGHT, that's all I asked for anyway!

 

[Bus-Conductor]

If that's your criteria for a great coach then we haven't had one in 20 years.

Could have something to do with why we have one top four finish in 20 years ?

 

[Spurs_Bear]

Could have something to do with why we have one top four finish in 20 years ?

Indeed.

I don't think Redknapp is a great coach, but the way you make him out just seems like you have more of a personal jealousy. You weren't even this harsh on Jol were you?

 

[jimmyn16]

This is why I don't respond to you. Did you read my post? I said he overlooks MINNOWS. If you think Arsenal and Liverpool are minnows then fair enough.

These are all results during cup comps:

Wigan Athletic lost
West Brom draw
West Ham lost
Everton draw
Bolton lost
Sunderland draw
Birmingham draw

He's always up for the sexy games. Arsenal in the cup though was a little strange. Bentley on the left etc.

Since Sunderland and Bolton are 6th and 7th in the table, you obviously consider everybody outside the top 5 to be minnows? Rather arrogant even by the standards of Spurs fans.

 

[joffmeister]

The loss to young boys took HR's eyes FIRMLY towards the CL after that. That is my whole point. He did great because that is where he was focussed.

Look at Everton: We have a cup game on the weekend, and we already lost a midweek game. Look at the run we had before Everton: No distractions, and we went on an unbeaten run.

I'll be proven right or wrong anyway. I'm sticking my neck out after all.

Are you seriously saying that we lost to Everton because Harry was concentrating too much on the Charlton game?

If so, I challenge you to name one aspect of the selection, tactics or performance that was affected.

We managed to win 3 PL games in 7 days over xmas - is the reason for this that they all happened to be in the same competition?

 

[gibbs131]

Since Sunderland and Bolton are 6th and 7th in the table, you obviously consider everybody outside the top 5 to be minnows? Rather arrogant even by the standards of Spurs fans.

I consider them MINNOWS.

Every dog has it's day.

 

[gibbs131]

Are you seriously saying that we lost to Everton because Harry was concentrating too much on the Charlton game?

If so, I challenge you to name one aspect of the selection, tactics or performance that was affected.

We managed to win 3 PL games in 7 days over xmas - is the reason for this that they all happened to be in the same competition?

Exactly. No FA cup, no CL, no leauge cup on the horizon = zero distractions.

To be honest I thought we would win the Everton game. I already stuck my neck out before this thread claiming after the Everton game, we would have topsy turvy form between now and the second CL game.

I said we are not going to go into free fall, but IMO we will lose our 4th place and lose ground on Chelsea. (or whoever else is top 4)

 

[brasil_spur]

This is probably the pundits first choice:

-----------------Defoe---------------
---------------VDV-------------------
Bale-----Modric--------Hudd---Lennon
BAE-------King/Wood--Daws---Hutton
---------------Gomes----------------

That that one player that HR signed, is the weakest link in the team.

He has done OK from a depth aspect. But since he spent around 90 million, that isn't great business IMO.

VDV fell in his lap. It wasnt his target. He specifically said he was "surprised" on deadline day, and said 8 million was too good to pass up.

I personally like Corky, Kranj and Palacios more than HR does. Which is ironic.

Crap post i'm afriad.

Having an amazing 11 players is nothing if all the rest of your squad is pants.

Given that our back-up to this is:

-----------------Crouch---------------
---------------Keane-------------------
Niko-----Palacios------Jenas-----Bentley
Bassong-----Kaboul----Gallas----Corluka
---------------Cudicini----------------

Of which 8 are Harry signings.

Harry has built us a quality squad to complement our already quality first team and this is why we are having so much success with him.

 

[soup]

I said he overlooks MINNOWS. If you think Arsenal and Liverpool are minnows then fair enough.

Since Sunderland and Bolton are 6th and 7th in the table, you obviously consider everybody outside the top 5 to be minnows? Rather arrogant even by the standards of Spurs fans.

I consider them MINNOWS.

Every dog has it's day.

So are Liverpool minnows or not? :grin:

 

[gibbs131]

Crap post i'm afriad.

Having an amazing 11 players is nothing if all the rest of your squad is pants.

Given that our back-up to this is:

-----------------Crouch---------------
---------------Keane-------------------
Niko-----Palacios------Jenas-----Bentley
Bassong-----Kaboul----Gallas----Corluka
---------------Cudicini----------------

Of which 8 are Harry signings.

Harry has built us a quality squad to complement our already quality first team and this is why we are having so much success with him.

Could you go further into detail why my post was crap? Since I said:
"He has done OK from a depth aspect." In that post.

You proved that point with your lineup which shows depth.

So please, explain why it is a crap post?

 

[gibbs131]

So are Liverpool minnows or not? :grin:

Of course not.

 

[Damian99]

He's completely turned the club around in the time he's been here. We very rarely look like getting beat these days and even though Villa and Newcastle are not top 10 material they couldn't beat our 10 men.

We have certainly imposed ourselves on the champions league and played some exceptional football at times.

Before his injury Lennon was excellent, look at Bale, Kaboul, infact only our forwards have gone backwards imo.

Lennon has lost his form but he's still fairly young, even world class experienced players lose form, it's just how it is.

We can now more than adequately play and win games and still look very solid at the back without Ledley King.

I fail to see how anyone really(BC) can suggest Redknapp isn't a good coach(or great as he called it) Harry must just be one lucky guy who has bluffed his way through the last couple of years.

BC the greatest arm chair coach in the world.

 

[TwoSaintsComeMarching]

Could you go further into detail why my post was crap? Since I said:
"He has done OK from a depth aspect." In that post.

You proved that point with your lineup which shows depth.

So please, explain why it is a crap post?

You chat such shit.

Essentially you are claiming "90m" worth of spend was not good business as all it did was give us strength in depth?

It was good business because it has given us an unbelievable squad which is the main reason we got into the Champions league.

How can you look at the first XI only when it is clearly a squad game???

Palacios, Crouch, Kranjcar, Corluka and Bassong all played a MAJOR part in us claiming fourth spot in our most successful season in the Premier League for decades.

So yes, it was very very good business.

 

[gibbs131]

He's completely turned the club around in the time he's been here. We very rarely look like getting beat these days and even though Villa and Newcastle are not top 10 material they couldn't beat our 10 men.

We have certainly imposed ourselves on the champions league and played some exceptional football at times.

Before his injury Lennon was excellent, look at Bale, Kaboul, infact only our forwards have gone backwards imo.

Lennon has lost his form but he's still fairly young, even world class experienced players lose form, it's just how it is.

We can now more than adequately play and win games and still look very solid at the back without Ledley King.

I fail to see how anyone really(BC) can suggest Redknapp isn't a good coach(or great as he called it) Harry must just be one lucky guy who has bluffed his way through the last couple of years.

BC the greatest arm chair coach in the world.

You can argue Ramos actually had a better starting 11.

--------Keane------Berbs-------
Bale---Modric----Hudd----Lennon
BAE----King----Daws-----Corluka
-----------Gomes---------------

That could be considered a BETTER team than VDV and a misfit since Keane and Berbs were GOLD together.

It's just he used it so strangely. Playing GDS, Modric, Bentley, Bent etc in a lightweight Ossie style team.

HR got a little bit lucky from 4 aspects:

1: Spurs were MEGA fit when HR got them (Ramos never really got the benefit of Spurs fitness regime because it can take a year for results to come in)

2: He a great squad to pick from and Ramos had already proved which combos were not working.

3: BAE injured = Bale resurgence (he was to go on loan before BAE got crocked)

4: World Cup (fringe Internationals playing great)

Remember, HR spent a RECORD amount for a Jan period too.

I think HR is a good manager. But I think just because Ramos was record breakingly bad with the resources he had, should not automatically mean HR was some sort of genius to turn it around. Not exactly a poison challace.