Premier League - Redknapp: I'm the boss

Eurosport - Mon, 27 Oct 14:50:00 2008

New manager Harry Redknapp will be in complete control of transfer activity at Tottenham Hotspur.

2008-2009 Tottenham Hotspur Harry Redknapp - 0

The former Portsmouth boss was a shock appointment at White Hart Lane late on Saturday night, but said he only agreed to take over if Spurs abolished the director of football role.

The Premier League's bottom club sacked manager Juande Ramos and sporting director Damien Comolli after a disastrous start to the season, sparked by a chaotic summer of transfer activity.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy yesterday hailed a return "to a more traditional style of football management", with Redknapp calling the shots in the transfer market.

"The chairman will do the deals but I'll pick the players," Redknapp said. "I wouldn't let anyone else buy my players."

His first acquisition is coach Kevin Bond, who joined him at training on Monday morning, although he indicated he was keen to keep Clive Allen, who picked the team for Sunday's 2-0 win against Bolton.

The 61-year-old Redknapp said he decided to join to Spurs, having rejected them once before, because he did not want to carry any regrets into retirement.

"I nearly came here, it was a long story but things happened," he said.

"I nearly went to Newcastle and people said I didn't want to take on the challenge of a big club. I felt that once this happened I would have regretted it for the rest of my life."

The dysfunctional relationship between Ramos and Comolli is now being revealed, with the Spanish manager feeling his player recommendations were ignored.

Question marks were raised over the decision to sell strikers Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov without adequately replacing them.

HARRY REDKNAPP FACTFILE

* Born March 2, 1947, in Poplar, London

* 1964 - A midfielder, Redknapp starts his career at West Ham United before spells at Bournemouth, Brentford and American side Seattle Sounders

* July, 1992 - Moves to West Ham, just relegated to second division, as assistant to manager Billy Bonds, an old friend and also a former West Ham team mate.

* 1993 - West Ham promoted to the Premier League.

* August, 1994 - Bonds resigns and Redknapp takes over as the club's eighth manager. Offers to resign 24 hours later after he is accused of betraying Bonds.

* February, 1997 - Signs strikers Paul Kitson from Newcastle United and John Hartson from Arsenal. Their goals help West Ham finish 14th in Premier League and avoid relegation.

* May 9, 2001 - Resigns as manager of West Ham.

* June 21, 2000 - Appointed director of football at then second-division Portsmouth on three-year contract.

* March, 2002 - Redknapp replaces Graham Rix as Portsmouth manager, winning promotion to the Premier League the following season and then finishing 13th in England's top division.

* November, 2004 - Resigns as manager after a dispute with chairman Milan Mandaric over assistant coach Jim Smith and the appointment of Velimir Zajec as director of football.

* December, 2004 - Appointed manager of Portsmouth's rivals Southampton. They were relegated in May 2005 and he quit the club in December that year returning to take over at Portsmouth less than a week later following the sacking of Alain Perrin.

* May, 2006 - Saves Portsmouth from relegation and the club finish ninth in the following season.

* May, 2008 - After beating Manchester United in the quarter-finals, Portsmouth overcome Cardiff City in the final of the FA Cup to win the trophy for the first time in 69 years.

* October, 2008 - Joins Tottenham Hotspur as the club's new manager following the sacking of Juande Ramos.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 10 - 29 of 29

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  1. well im glad that the man speaks english!!! i reckon he will injext us with the poison!!!!!!!!!!!! c.,mon cos we hate the gunners!!

    From ANDREW J, on Mon 27 Oct 8:51PM

  2. why does eveyone think that spurs we do any better now the best manager in the league has arrived it wont change until janaury when he get the plyers he wants in until then its still down hill

    From berniemfc, on Mon 27 Oct 5:48PM

  3. Hey

    Come on. Bolton are c**p. Lets see how he does in his next four matches.

    The only player who fights for the ball is Hutton.

    From ranger1_1873, on Mon 27 Oct 2:37PM

  4. Sorry but I only agree up to a point about the confidence angle. Confidence is not installed in hours ...ask any shrink and he will tell you it takes time.
    The truth is that these so called professional footballers had made up there mind that they were not going to play for Ramos for whatever reasons. I watched them play Portsmouth recently and there were times when it would have been easier to score than miss by a mile. Its happened so many times before when players want a change of manager. They should have wages docked for poor performance

    From Brian, on Mon 27 Oct 12:38PM

  5. Spurs now have a man with a bit of steel in his belly.
    That's what Spurs need on & off the field.
    In the 35 years I have followed Tottenham I have never a side play with so little conviction, shape and effectiveness as the one pre Bolton.
    I know there are many out there who would like to see us go down, but tough, it ain't gonna happen.
    We are big club in terms of revenue we generate and we are in the top flight. We are not top 4, but we could be one day, we don't feel we have a devine right to be at the top but it's not a crime to want to be there.

    From Jay G, on Mon 27 Oct 12:15PM

  6. Good to see those English Language night-school classes finally reaping dividends,SaMiR

    From steve, on Mon 27 Oct 12:09PM

  7. Yeah i agree with Alex and John. I knew Spurs would win yesterday. They have a good squad that was playing with zero belief and confidence and they needed something to change and spark off the feeling of a fresh start and a new beginning. One was to do this - appoint a new manager. Harry isn't so stupid as to think he actually DID anything to help Spurs win yesterday - they helped themselves by having the belief that now they can go on up the table.

    But yeah hearing Spurs fans sing 'glory glory' during their games is laughable. Unless they reckon winning the league cup last season and nothing else for countless seasons is indeed worthy of glory.

    But then, Spurs fans have always been a bit dim..... ;)

    From Dominic, on Mon 27 Oct 12:05PM

  8. Don't worry Harry will dump on you the minute that he gets bored of you - And trust me it won't be long - Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

    From H C, on Mon 27 Oct 12:04PM

  9. qoakholona
    Well said but I think you you change the word " bung" in your statement after all we are talking football.

    From Brian, on Mon 27 Oct 12:03PM

  10. juande ramos f**k

    From SaMiR NaSRi, on Mon 27 Oct 11:57AM

  11. bentley with beautiful cross and equalize by pavlychenko!!!!!!!!!What a superb header,what a cross,and tottenham lead 1-0.

    From SaMiR NaSRi, on Mon 27 Oct 11:56AM

  12. Harry will be the second coming,until such time as he loses 3 on the bounce,Spurs fail to win the Championship,the FA Cup or the Greyhound Derby and then the Brainless Bagel Levy will have him out on his ear,just like Jol & Ramos.
    Of all the recent departures,Clueless Danny still hangs around the club like a bad smell - why? when he appointed the last 2 failures?

    From steve, on Mon 27 Oct 11:55AM

  13. First win for tottenham,what a cross from bentley and equalize by pavlychenko with superb header.go Harry

    From SaMiR NaSRi, on Mon 27 Oct 11:49AM

  14. Agree with Alex - Giving the players the confidence of how good they really are is a must and Harry can do that and will bring the players confidence back. Lack of it from above has shown but Harry will do it! It showed in the first win even though they didnt play well - Bolton have always been a bogey side but we played more 'confident' football and the players showed it. Onwards and upwards especially once the players start moulding. Bentley and Pav, players started that Ramos left out - something is going right and hopefully for the best. We needed the change so we'll see what happens whatever Harry's CV looks like.... bung him as much as he wants as long as it keeps us up initially as well as getting through the UEFA Cup Group... Good Luck Harry, go give'm some boy.....

    From John, on Mon 27 Oct 11:48AM

  15. Redknap, Keagan, Moyes , whoever, The secret of a good manager is to make the players believe in their own ability. They wouldn't be professionals if they weren't good enough. Most clubs need a psychologist not a manager. Believe me it is true.

    From ALEX CLARKE, on Mon 27 Oct 11:33AM

  16. Harry is a very astute manager if you could read his CV you will see he has never been sacked as manager. The reason is he sees it coming and always resigns and walks away. Any club that takes Harry will watch the wage bill rise and then they will realise that the sort of players he buys in the main have no second hand transfer value with the odd exception

    From Brian, on Mon 27 Oct 11:28AM

  17. Glad to see that Spurs have taken my advice.

    From Larry, on Mon 27 Oct 11:27AM

  18. Glad to see that Spurs have taken my advice.

    From Larry, on Mon 27 Oct 11:25AM

  19. Ha Ha, bring Spurs back to where they belong,?? heard that from the fans on Sky news last night. No team 'belongs' anywhere, they win things when they earn them, not just cos they class themselves as a 'big team' or their fans insist they are ....Spurs were only ever a great club in the 1960's and only an occasional cup winning side since then. At least Man United have earned the right to play there song, 'Glory , Glory Man United,'same cannot be said of the spuds unfortunately, though every home game they play Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur??? That said, if Redknapp cannot make the team a good one, don't think there's much chance of anyone doing so.....

    From kpb, on Mon 27 Oct 11:17AM

  20. Sorry, Spurs. You've got the poisened chalice. Even when he left poor little Pompey, H. Rednapp struggled to tell the truth. The £5M he spoke of was a clause written into his contract, as with virtually all Premiership managers and coaches. His claims that 'Pompey couldn't turn down the money', is pure hogwash. As Peter Storrie repeated on TV, Pompey did all they could to keep Harry, who had just signed a new contract, but he wanted to go.

    From douglas.adams@..., on Mon 27 Oct 11:07AM
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