Premier League - Redknapp: No West Ham return

Eurosport - Thu, 04 Sep 11:54:00 2008

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has praised Alan Curbishley for "sticking to his principles" - and insisted there is "no way" he would return to the West Ham hotseat as his successor.

2007-2008 Portsmouth Harry Redknapp - 0

Curbishley resigned as manager of the Hammers after revealing he did not have control over transfers.

Redknapp had long spells as a player and manager at Upton Park but values the freedom he enjoys at Fratton Park.

He said: "Alan Curbishley may have gone as West Ham boss - but there's no way I'll replace him.

"Curbs quit because he feels he has been undermined and shown a lack of trust by the owner. I take my hat off to him for sticking to his principles.

"Don't get me wrong, West Ham is a fantastic club, with fantastic fans and - having gone there aged 15 - it has a special place in my heart.

"But I love it at Portsmouth and I have one big advantage over a lot of Premier League bosses these days: I've got an owner who lets the manager manage."

Curbishley's resignation came a day after Kevin Keegan was reported to have left Newcastle following a similar bust-up with the club's owners - although both sides insist Keegan remains at the club.

And Redknapp feels managers will simply have to get used to a different job description as the trend of billionaire owners sweeps the Premier League.

"The days of managing as I know it are coming to end - you will basically be given players and told to get on with it," he continued.

"West Ham sold players and it was nothing to do with Alan - but that will happen more and more.

"Let's face it, the way it's going, every Premier League club will be owned by a foreign billionaire.

"They all want to win the title, they all want to be in the Champions League and if they don't get it they'll be changing managers like we change socks. It will be a revolving door that never stops turning.

"And while we're at it, we might as well sack all the scouts too, as there won't be any need if players are coming and going above managers' heads."

SportingLife / Eurosport

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  1. Would imagine Richielee has got more holes in his Doc­ Martins than he has brain cells. What a @#$%.

    From paul s, on Thu 4 Sep 12:29PM

  2. billionaires are runining football so why dont they go­ back to the their massive mansions and keep themselves­ to their selves for once!

    From matthew_lilley, on Thu 4 Sep 11:29AM

  3. Richie Lee that is absolutely stupid!!!! What a dumb­ @#$% thing to say in fact its so dumb it made chuckle­ in amazement at how thick some people are.....

    From Samaldo, on Thu 4 Sep 11:13AM

  4. poor curbishly..1st it was the fans on his back after­ securing us a top 10 finish last year which after the­ year b4 was a mirricle in itself then its the board.i­ really dont know where we go from here.who is going to­ want to manage us knowing that they are not going to be­ allowed to manage.no doubt some greedy #@*)*& from­ abroad that could not give a hoot if we got relagated­ as long as he got his big fat cheque at the end of­ it.why the hell would harry want to come back after we­ or shall i say the club treated him so badly 1st time­ round.and that was the manager that got us into­ europe.another angry hammer

    From joethai1966, on Thu 4 Sep 11:01AM

  5. richielee what a stupid comment to make, get a life u­ @#$%

    From desfls2000, on Thu 4 Sep 10:26AM

  6. It could be worse Hammers fans - at least we are not­ Luton Town! If it takes a bit of housekeeping to ensure­ a decent future then so be it. Some of the players­ Curbs bought in have been shocking transfers (Quashie,­ Ljungberg). Curbishley sanctioned the recruitment of a­ director of football (Nani) so cant complain when­ certain player transfer decisions have to be made. I­ would rather we trim the wage bill than go go into­ administration. It's just the changing face of­ English football and we have to get on with it.

    From mark.winter, on Thu 4 Sep 10:08AM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    spot on HARRY....................jst missed out one­ point that one day 99% of players will be coloured and­ the Refs + linesmen will be white.........just like in­ American football.......................whats happened­ to all the white kids?

    From Richie, on Thu 4 Sep 10:01AM

  8. i have been a west ham supporter all my life and ive­ seen good times and bad times but this is the worst­ time ever and i aggree with herry the god redgnap that­ curbs was doing a good job but was undermined by the­ @#$% board that the hammers have got and i for one will­ not be going to upton park ever again and that hurts

    From hammerszamorabobby, on Thu 4 Sep 9:15AM

  9. well said harry ,i knew you wouldn't come back to­ us because you have done and are still doing an amazing­ job at portsmouth. i agree that curbs was right to­ quit, the manager must have the say over who stays/goes­ not the board, this truly is the beginning of the end­ of the premier league as we know it with owners taking­ all the decisions away from the people that they have­ employed to make them. who knows what muppet we will­ get next owners want "yes" men, fans want­ someone who will take the bull by the horns and get on­ with doing the job without interferance from the suits­ upstairs - angry hammer

    From zigman, on Thu 4 Sep 9:02AM

  10. The football club is like the local factory.
    Owner ­ Owner
    Directer­ of Football Manager
    Team­ Manager ­ Departmental Manager
    Footballers ­ Workers (line workers & shelf
    ­ ­ fillers)
    Now tell me football is not changing.

    From plewis696, on Thu 4 Sep 8:54AM

  11. I FEEL THESE BIG TAKEOVERS BY MILLIONAIRS WILL RUIN­ FOOTBALL IN THIS COUNTRY ENGLISH PLAYERS WILL BE LEFT­ OUT OF SIDES , THIS WILL MEAN WE WILL NEVER HAVE A­ DECENT NATIONAL TEAM

    From JAMES A, on Thu 4 Sep 8:48AM
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