'The road not taken' is the title of a poem by Robert Frost that looks at whether we can ever know whether an action was the right one when faced with alternatives like which path to take at a fork in the woods.You reach a crossroads, you make a decision and you stand or fall by the results. You never know what would have happened had you made a different decision and you rarely, if ever, have the chance to go back and take the other turning. If we get relegated we can say that Levy chose the wrong path. But he will say that we were going to get relegated anyway and he has, by his boldness , given us a chance.
The fact that we are still so close to the bottom three even after the turnaround achieved under Harry makes it clear to us all how close we were and still are to disaster. On current form over the last 6 matches we are third in the table (played 6,W4,D1,L1 ) and yet still only 1 point from the relegation positions.
I maintained a defiant belief that under Ramos we would not be relegated and that the kind of bold or rash action eventually adopted by Levy would further destabilise the club. Well, at the moment, this has not happened and some argue that because of our post Carling Cup form and the poor attitude of the players he might have acted earlier.
The truth is we simply don't know. Apparently Harry was approached two seasons ago but because he would not work under the DOF system he declined. Where would we be now if Harry had come earlier? Would we have won the Carling Cup? Would we be flirting with relegation or smooching with the Top Four?. Would we be looking for another new manager because results by now under Harry were deteriorating and he was not fulfilling Levy's criteria for success? Will this be the position this time next season assuming that Harry guides us to mid-table and perhaps some success in a cup?
We don't know. After the trauma of Martin Jol's and Juande Ramos' sacking Harry might get a little longer to achieve something, but I said that about Ramos. He might, but I am not putting much faith in Levy's patience or underestimating his drive for Tottenham success for whatever reasons.
You might argue that a little more research should have been done before Jol, our most successful manager for some time was sacked in so cavalier a fashion for Ramos. Juande had no experience outside Spain and could not speak English at the time of his appointment. Hindsight, hindsight wherefore art thou hindsight?
What might Jol or Ramos have achieved given more time? What would have happened if we had refused Keane or Berbatov permission to move? Would we have done better to stand by Robinson? We don't know and never will. So far Levy's actions have been justified by events and the path he put us on appears to be leading us out of trouble.
Certainly the attitude of the players has improved, at least in interviews. On the pitch, the Fulham game shows how little we have changed in effort and spirit. But there has been a gradual improvement in the standard of performance, signs of which appeared under Ramos: against Chelsea, Stoke and Hull for example. Bent,Lennon,Modric and Huddleston have all been transformed and attribute it to Harry. Bale and Bentley have yet to respond, but as the individuals improve so, hopefully, will the team.
Against Blackburn according to Ledley we 'ground out a result' but in fact they offered little and it was more a case of us not taking our chances to make the game safe. It was the tension of the fans because of our precarious position and our uncertainty about Gomes that made the game seem closer than it really was. A situation that you would think Spurs fans had become accustomed to over the years.
So the Jury is still out on whether Levy was bold and decisive over the appointment of Harry Redknapp or rash and impetuous. Unfortunately, for my nerves, it might still be out until after Xmas. Please Santa send us a few more points, well quite a lot more actually.
The fact that we are still so close to the bottom three even after the turnaround achieved under Harry makes it clear to us all how close we were and still are to disaster. On current form over the last 6 matches we are third in the table (played 6,W4,D1,L1 ) and yet still only 1 point from the relegation positions.
I maintained a defiant belief that under Ramos we would not be relegated and that the kind of bold or rash action eventually adopted by Levy would further destabilise the club. Well, at the moment, this has not happened and some argue that because of our post Carling Cup form and the poor attitude of the players he might have acted earlier.
The truth is we simply don't know. Apparently Harry was approached two seasons ago but because he would not work under the DOF system he declined. Where would we be now if Harry had come earlier? Would we have won the Carling Cup? Would we be flirting with relegation or smooching with the Top Four?. Would we be looking for another new manager because results by now under Harry were deteriorating and he was not fulfilling Levy's criteria for success? Will this be the position this time next season assuming that Harry guides us to mid-table and perhaps some success in a cup?
We don't know. After the trauma of Martin Jol's and Juande Ramos' sacking Harry might get a little longer to achieve something, but I said that about Ramos. He might, but I am not putting much faith in Levy's patience or underestimating his drive for Tottenham success for whatever reasons.
You might argue that a little more research should have been done before Jol, our most successful manager for some time was sacked in so cavalier a fashion for Ramos. Juande had no experience outside Spain and could not speak English at the time of his appointment. Hindsight, hindsight wherefore art thou hindsight?
What might Jol or Ramos have achieved given more time? What would have happened if we had refused Keane or Berbatov permission to move? Would we have done better to stand by Robinson? We don't know and never will. So far Levy's actions have been justified by events and the path he put us on appears to be leading us out of trouble.
Certainly the attitude of the players has improved, at least in interviews. On the pitch, the Fulham game shows how little we have changed in effort and spirit. But there has been a gradual improvement in the standard of performance, signs of which appeared under Ramos: against Chelsea, Stoke and Hull for example. Bent,Lennon,Modric and Huddleston have all been transformed and attribute it to Harry. Bale and Bentley have yet to respond, but as the individuals improve so, hopefully, will the team.
Against Blackburn according to Ledley we 'ground out a result' but in fact they offered little and it was more a case of us not taking our chances to make the game safe. It was the tension of the fans because of our precarious position and our uncertainty about Gomes that made the game seem closer than it really was. A situation that you would think Spurs fans had become accustomed to over the years.
So the Jury is still out on whether Levy was bold and decisive over the appointment of Harry Redknapp or rash and impetuous. Unfortunately, for my nerves, it might still be out until after Xmas. Please Santa send us a few more points, well quite a lot more actually.