‘Champions League Is Overrated’ – Tottenham Boss Redknapp Not Bothered By Missing Out On Euro Cup

Alan Duffy

5th, June 2012

25 Comments

By Alan Duffy

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has (metaphorically) rolled down his car window once again to chat to reporters, this time telling them that missing out on the Champions League, courtesy of Chelsea’s success, is no big deal. He said:

“I think it’s overrated what people say about Champions League football and whatever. People would have still gone to Chelsea if they hadn’t won the Champions League this year because they know it’s a club that’s looking to get into the Champions League positions next year.”

“They pay fantastic money. If you pay players enough money and you give them good enough contracts and you show that you’re ambitious, they’ll come to your club.”

“Champions League football, because you don’t make it one year – it’s one year. I think that’s an excuse for players who want to leave and get better contracts elsewhere. I don’t see that as a real problem.

“I think if the contract’s right and they earn enough money, Premier League football is big enough.”

I think it’s fair to say that this is quite a change of opinion from the Spurs boss, who at one point last season was tipping his side for Premier League glory, never mind a Champions League place.

The Tottenham boss is about to enter the last year of his contract at White Hart Lane and has called upon Wayne Rooney’s agent, Paul Stretford, to advise him on a potential new deal.

With the relationship between Redknapp and Spurs bigwig Daniel Levy apparently not the best since ‘Arry was linked to the England job, one wonders if the former Pompey and West Ham boss will be at Spurs for much longer. And if he does go in the end, who’ll take his place?

Posted in Managers, Tottenham Hotspur

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25 Comments

  1. usrick says:

    By the time ‘Arry leaves Spurs, Chelsea will probably have lost two or three games, Roman will have lost his “patience” and De Matteo will be available.

  2. Andriy says:

    Roberto Martinez will be a hot candidate I would image.

  3. abhi_gooner says:

    It didn’t seem overrated that time you sad old man

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2VCyWLh2og

  4. matty says:

    Hmmm, sour grapes anyone?

  5. Meower says:

    Sure you may be able to coax a player to stay or come even if you aren’t in the champions league this year, but I think they would want to know the club has ambition and isn’t happy when they miss out. I don’t see that here.

  6. DJ says:

    Funny since all he has banged on about for the last few years is qualifying for it and how important it is.

  7. Daniel Bothma says:

    Obviously there are definitely some sour grapes hanging in the air here, but I do think Redknapp has a valid point. People make out like it’s the end of the universe if a large club fails to make it into the Champions League for one season, but it’s not. Money-grubbers like Hazard or Hulk will always choose teams like Chelsea, regardless of whether they miss out on the Champions League for one season or not – the most important issue for them is invariably the size of the pay check. I don’t blame them, it’s just a job, but seriously, most players would still choose Liverpool over Newcastle, despite the latter appearing in Europe next season, as they know that Liverpool are still a bigger club, and one where they will earn a greater salary.

    One season doesn’t define a club.

  8. Anonymous says:

    im gonna say it is pretty overrated. even if you win the champions league, you only get 9 million euros. players give the excuse that they want to play in the champions league. just take younes belhanda or whatever his name is. reports say he might go to liverpool, but he might want to stay in montpellier to play in the champions league. its not like they’re making it out of the group stage…

  9. NZ Spurs says:

    I think it’s a political statement aimed at encouraging players to stay at the club and attract new players, Pointing out that Spurs are ambitious. He should also point out to players that if you want to play Champions League, then bloody earn it- I don’t have a lot of time for players that want to play Champions League football by transfering into a squad that has already qualified. You don’t win a cup in the final- it is won in every game in the competition.

  10. Luke says:

    @Daniel B, Liverpool are also in Europe next season.

  11. Jarren says:

    Looks like a whole pallet of sour grapes to me.

  12. Guff says:

    He is so right. Over rated competition that was much better before.

  13. Toz says:

    Sour grapes indeed.

  14. Luke says:

    @Daniel Bothma, as Luke above said, Liverpool are in Europe as well as Newcastle. But as a Newcastle supporter, I think its safe to say that with the commericalization of the game, the ‘big club’ status is worth very little nowadays.

    If you win enough, or more importantly, pay more to players, they will come. Thus why Liverpool will have similiar appeal to Newcastle to players this season – history means little in the current scheme of things; apart from the usual hordes of deluded Liverpool/Leeds/Newcastle/whatever fans who believe they deserve their place somewhere.

    It doesn’t matter anymore – a club is where it is and players move accordingly

  15. Daniel B says:

    @Luke, shit, I didn’t realise Liverpool were in Europe, thought only 5th and 6th qualified.

    The point I’m making, and I’m not hating on Newcastle at all, is that players will invariably not choose a club based upon the club’s participation in Europe for the following season, but rather, based on the last roughly five years of success. When I say ‘big club’, I mean club with a history of competing in top competitions, not one which won the league in the 80s. Newcastle may become a regular in Europe, but at the moment they’re not. Hence, top players will still choose clubs like Liverpool over Clubs like Newcastle, if given the choice, as Liverpool’s history of competing of success in recent seasons is better than Newcastle’s.

    I say this as an Arsenal supporter, sick of hearing commentators make out as if the possibility of our failing to qualify for next seasons Champions League would be a disaster akin to relegation, and lead to a ‘mass squad exodus’ – it wouldn’t have. Players leaving Arsenal has been as a result of an extended run without a trophy, as well the sizeable wages available elsewhere. It’s not about one season’s results.

  16. Paul O says:

    @Dan B, its a fair point regarding players looking at recent history. At the same time it wouldn’t suprise me a player deciding they had more to offer to a team that looks to be on the rise than trying prevent a team from falling. I know im being biased and the season gone could just be a blip for both clubs but this next season could turn out to be very defining for 1 or both teams.

    On a totally unrelated note some predictions, Harry to be chelseas next manager, England to be knocked out in the group stages with a single point(they took from France) and finally France to win the euro’s

    if they all come true i will eat 1 sheet of A4 paper.

  17. Anonymous says:

    PS. its 5th place and the two domestic cup winners that qualify.

    Peace

  18. Daniel B says:

    @Paul, that is also true, a nice example would be Pastore choosing PSG over Chelsea. Again, though, the pay ain’t bad either…

  19. Joseph says:

    Anonymous claims that winning the CL is only worth 9 million!, clearly a deluded Spurs fan to make up such a silly fib, the winner of the CL will have earned approx 60 million pounds by progressing to the final and then winning it.

    No doubt anonymous went to the same school of accounting as old arry.

  20. sleeba says:

    Boy cock, girl cock, E-I-E-I-O!

  21. Gary De Forest says:

    Funny how Harry’s new view of the Champions League being overrated just happens to fit in with his failure to qualify the Spurs for it. Levy must be overjoyed at the thought of having such an unambitious man of retirement age just looking to put his feet up but hanging on another year as the man in charge of Spurs’ (lack of) tactics on the field — through each and every one of the next 38 league games.

  22. Luke says:

    @Dan B – I didn’t at all take it as an insult to Newcastle mate – just my opinion on it. You’re right on wages – Liverpool would be able to offer more – but taking that away, the appeal of Liverpool vs Newcastle would come down to other factors – the training facilities, players of the same nationality playing there, impression of the coach, whether they like the area etc.

    I just don’t think there’s as much respect by players for the history of clubs anymore; when you hear players say in the media things like “I’m honoured to be playing at a club with such history” it’s more to appease fans – today it’s all about money, European qualification and winning things.

  23. No result (good) for England even if Redknapp had assumed the mantle.
    That England side needs togo back to the academy of sorts before they think of winning something1

  24. Endi Gjoni says:

    To the person that said you only get 9 million euros for winning the champions league …you get 12 million for getting out of the group stage and 22 for going to the quarter finals and 65 for going to the semifinal for going to the final you get 125 and the winner gets 233 million.

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