Harry Redknapp Is English Football’s Wrecking Ball

Ollie Irish

23rd, July 2010

118 Comments

By Jacob Steinberg

Harry Redknapp on the West Ham bench with Frank Lampard Snr, in 1996

ENGLAND’S stock might be at an all-time low after their disastrous World Cup, but it is a small mercy that they haven’t disgraced themselves quite enough to require the services of Harry Redknapp. A man so slippery he could hoist himself out of a vat of cement, during the World Cup Redknapp could be seen delivering pithy one-liners on the BBC sofa to an array of fawning sycophants. Asked whether Tottenham were interested in the Japan forward Keisuke Honda, Redknapp quipped, “We asked CSKA about a swap for Bentley, but we didn’t think it was fair. A Bentley for a Honda!” Ha ha ha Harry! How very whimsical.

Redknapp is the man who disproves the theory of karmic retribution, seemingly never punished for his wrecking-ball approach to football management, each calamity somehow rewarded with an even better job. He is the man who managed to unite the fans of Portsmouth and Southampton in one common goal: hating Redknapp. That takes some doing. And yet for some unfathomable reason, all of his misdeeds somehow manage to disappear from public consciousness, as if by some Faustian pact.

Because of his roguish cockney demeanour, some journalists hang on his every word. When, before an England friendly against the Czech Republic in 2008, he had the temerity to criticise That Foreign Man Fabio Capello, simply for having the England job he assumes he should rightfully hold, this was reported without irony. After all, what do countless titles in Spain and Italy and a Champions League really amount to in the face of one spawny FA Cup victory with Portsmouth?

May I be so bold as to suggest Redknapp is definitely not the managerial genius his chuckling media chums have made him out to be? There is a certain beguiling nature to Redknapp’s ability to wing it, a quality he owes in so small part to our willingness merely to sweep certain misdemeanours under the carpet. Naturally, of course, that takes a pretty big broom.

* * * * *

FORGET, for a moment, the way he treated Portsmouth and Southampton and cast your mind back to the winter of 2000, and the way Redknapp wasted the £18m West Ham received from Leeds United for Rio Ferdinand. Believe it or not, at the time West Ham had a pretty accomplished team, which was admittedly the result of some considered work by Redknapp. West Ham had finished 8th, 5th and 9th over the three preceding seasons, and after a shaky beginning to the 2000-01 campaign, by November they were starting to motor.

After a 2-1 defeat at home to Arsenal in October, West Ham subsequently went on a five-match unbeaten run, which reached a crescendo with a 1-0 victory at Leeds, who were title contenders at the time. That success was achieved largely thanks to the sterling efforts of Ferdinand. By then, it was recognised that West Ham could not hold on to this prodigious youngster for much longer. Indeed Leeds had already registered their interest in him, and as he kept Mark Viduka firmly in his pocket all afternoon, the travelling West Ham fans sang, “You’ll never get our Rio.”

Famous last words. Ferdinand joined Leeds for £18m the following Friday. This was not exactly a disaster; West Ham were worried that the transfer market was about to collapse and the funds would offer them the chance to fine-tune an already promising squad, one that contained Paolo Di Canio, Freddie Kanoute and Trevor Sinclair, plus gifted tyros Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Frank Lampard. While the sale of Ferdinand showcased a lack of ambition, it was not catastrophic. Calmly play the hand Leeds had dealt them and West Ham could potentially qualify for Europe.

That feeling was backed up the day after Ferdinand’s departure, when a free-flowing performance was enough to earn a 3-2 victory at Southampton. At this point West Ham were about as rampant as it is scientifically possible for them to be. They lost just one of their next six games, a 2-1 defeat at Leicester City, and produced one of the finest performances I’ve ever witnessed, stuffing an outclassed Charlton Athletic 5-0 on Boxing Day.

That shellacking of their south London neighbours left West Ham eighth, above Chelsea, Tottenham and Leeds, and just six points off Sunderland in third. At that juncture, there was little to suggest that Redknapp would be gone before the end of the season.

Redknapp instructs his West Ham players, in January 2001

This was an exciting time to support West Ham. Every day, the papers would link them with a new player – but as each day passed, so the targets disappeared. The last time West Ham had cashed in on one of their prized assets, it had been a shrewd move, as Redknapp used the £7.5m Wimbledon paid for an overweight and uninterested John Hartson in 1999 to bring in Scott Minto, Marc-Vivien Foe and, of course, Di Canio.

In this instance, he was dealing with different sums. £18m is a hefty figure, enough to make any man lose his nerve. And the comparison between Hartson and Ferdinand doesn’t really fit; one a nomadic if talented striker, the other a genuinely world class player who would eventually join Manchester United for £30m and captain England.

Among others, West Ham were linked with expensive moves for Gareth Southgate, Robbie Keane, Andres D’Alessandro and the prolific Spanish striker Javi Moreno. Even Neil Harris got a look-in. None of them arrived. Instead, from a position of strength, Redknapp was unable to shake off his wheeler-dealer instincts and did what he knew best, looking at strays, cast-offs and bargains, squandering the money like a Eurotrash moron in possession of his dad’s credit card.

Southgate, having fallen out with John Gregory, was eager to leave Villa and return to London, but the deal never materialised, and rather than sign one international defender to replace the one who had vacated the club, Redknapp chose to sign four mediocre players. In came Christian Dailly (£1.75m), Rigobert Song (£2.5m), Hayden Foxe (free) and Ragnvald Soma (£800,000). Rejected by Keane, Redknapp also paid Liverpool £2.2m for Titi Camara and Litex Lovech, £500,000 for Svetoslav Todorov. Kaba Diawara, Hannu Tihinen and Sebastien Schemmel were also signed on loan, although only the latter ended up with a permanent deal.

The spending totals £7.75m, leaving roughly another £10m, if you discount the massive contracts that were handed out, which made it difficult for West Ham to shift those jokers. The rest of the money was never seen in the transfer market, making it tempting to exonerate Redknapp and just blame the despised chairman, Terry Brown. West Ham were in the process of building a brand-new stand and it is eminently likely that some of the money was used to finance it. And yet, although it was never proved, there were also allegations made that Redknapp was persuaded by Brown not to spend the money, although the rumour remained precisely that: a rumour.

Redknapp welcomes new signing Bernard Lama to West Ham, in December 1997

Whatever, the signings Redknapp did make were, to a man, unmitigated disasters, particularly Camara, whose comically disproportionate contract cost West Ham millions. He had arrived with a mildly pleasing reputation after a decent first season with Liverpool, but out of shape, he made seven starts in three years with the club and failed to score a single goal. His first start came in the aforementioned defeat at Leicester, a match in which he squandered several chances, even managing to send the ball out of Filbert Street with one volley. Eventually West Ham cut their humungous losses and cancelled his contract in 2003. Todorov, a Bulgarian youngster, fared little better, although he did manage a goal on his first appearance at Upton Park, scoring in a 3-2 defeat to Tottenham in an FA Cup quarter-final. Redknapp’s replacement, Glenn Roeder, didn’t fancy him and in 2002 Todorov joined Portsmouth, where he carved out a reasonable career.

It was the defenders who caused the most disquiet though. Soma, a hapless Norwegian youngster, barely played; the enduring memories I have of him are an abject stint at left-back in a 7-1 defeat to Blackburn and a severe chasing administered by Chelsea’s Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in 2002. Song, like Camara, was another Liverpool flop, although he at least initially showed some promise, so much so that West Ham fans mimicked their chants of ‘Rio! Rio!’ towards Ferdinand by singing ‘Rigo! Rigo!’

That happy little arrangement lasted all of seven games. In the first minute of a match at Manchester United, Song picked the ball up in the right-back position and, to the dawning horror of all those watching, proceeded to dribble the ball across his own area, scuffing a clearance straight to Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer and watching as the striker scored. Signed in November 2000, Song left in November 2001. Foxe’s sole contribution was to piss in a plant pot at a Christmas party. Oddly the only player to emerge with any credit was Dailly, who played the most public part in West Ham’s relegation in 2003. He was a dismal Premier League defender, but found his niche as a cult figure in The Championship, a status that was secured in a play-off semi-final against Ipswich, when he scored the winner with his knackers, an ironic twist of fate considering his galling impotence until then.

Somehow Redknapp managed to escape the blame for his abysmal signings, and although it was only a two-month spell in his career, the foolishness cost West Ham. Eighth in December, they only won three games in the second half of the season and only dragged themselves away from a relegation battle by beating Southampton in their penultimate match. Redknapp was sacked the following Monday for making criticisms of Brown in a fanzine, and was succeeded by Roeder, the cheap option.

The appointment of Roeder, out of his depth in management, gave Redknapp, the fans and the media a handy scapegoat when West Ham were relegated in 2003. Yet Roeder took over Redknapp’s derelict squad in 2001 – the truly remarkable achievement was lifting West Ham from 15th to 7th in his first season in charge. Unfortunately for the Redknapp-sceptics, Roeder’s portrayal as a clown and Redknapp’s as a wronged talent-spotter is a far better fit in the mythology. You’d have to admire the bare-faced cheek if it wasn’t so downright dastardly.

Jacob Steinberg is a freelance sports journalist for The Guardian, blogger for mirrorfootball.co.uk, and – for his sins – a professional West Ham fan

Posted in Featured, Opinion, West Ham Utd

Share this article: Email

118 Comments

  1. Indyfan says:

    As could easily be seen, this hatchet job was written by a so-called professional West Ham fan. Enough said.

  2. frank A says:

    What a pile of cr*p.. Another sad WHU muppet.
    West hame Wine “I hate defoe, I hate rednap, I hate Paul Ince”

    A journalist … hah Sir you are a disgrace…

  3. Chris says:

    I feel your pain Jacob, only on a much less prominent scale.

    David Platt acheived much the same result during his time at Nottingham Forest, though not through vanity or star-chasing – but through sheer ineptitude.

  4. Chris says:

    Professional West Ham fan maybe but professional journalist you are not.

    Awful article which shows you up as a bias, bitter little man. For the sake of your ‘career’ i’d take this tripe off the internet right away.

  5. Paulie says:

    You have FAR too much time on your hands and sound like a bitter and twisted ex.lover that’s been spurned for a younger model!! Get a life…..

    ps I’m not a Spurs fan!!

  6. Dave says:

    Oops, looks like you made a slight spelling error or two at the end there. Should read:

    “Jacob Steinberg is a freelance sports journalist for The Guardian, blogger for mirrorfootball.co.uk, and a complete and utter c*nt.

  7. Ollie says:

    Why is it always the idiots who comment first? Must be some new internet equation here. The faster you comment, the less valid or reasonable your comment (Chris, I don’t mean you here). I guess it’s because you only read the headline, not the copy.

  8. MalSpur says:

    You are a fuckin muppet mate! You are a disgrace.

  9. Atotaltoal says:

    You write so well but you talk so much rubbish

  10. Paul says:

    So you’re blaming Redknapp for not being given the bulk of the Rio Ferdinand cash and negotiating poor contracts, which isn’t the manager’s job?

    Typical clueless, bitter West Ham fan.

  11. Tonbridge Yid says:

    “Professional West Ham fan”. Does that mean WHU have to pay you to watch them??

    Get over it mate, it’s all in the past. Which is the same as that sorry team that you support!!

  12. Dan says:

    I’m so glad someone else can see through the media glare to the real Harry Redknapp. I despise the man, why he’s considered the best English manager around is ridiculous, all he ever does is waste vast swathes of money clubs don’t have on a whole new team. There’s no managerial skill in just buying eleven new players every time you move clubs.

  13. AntiOnan says:

    Wow!!

    I am still not 100% happy with Redknapp at WHL BUT I have never read such a load of sour grapes as above. He has done far better than I expected but let’s not let that get in the way of drivel.

    I have always respected WHU for the way that they try to play but some of its supporters make our bad ones seem like angels.

    Of course, Rednose and Froggie have never made managerial mistakes while even the infallible Jose has admitted that he is human.

    I think that your club receives the contempt that it does NOT deserve due to articles like this.

  14. Gary says:

    Redknapp got £300K of the Rio money in return for not spending it all and not for not publicly asking for it all. The WHUFC accounts of the time showed this. Then Redknapp went to the friendly press to complain he wasn’t being given the money

  15. drasl says:

    Bit harsh blaming it all on Harry, its not his fault that the Spammers have had a shit board for ages.. If they had someone like Levy in charge then maybe things would have turned out differently. Its the managers job to keep the squad together and find players he believes are going to take it forward, its not his job to worry about the wages and deals these players get. Im sure he would have held on to Rio if he could have.. Its not entirely on Harry like you seem to suggest.

    Its a shame that people think so little of such a great manager, his no non sense approach to managing is exactly what England needs. These players need to be slapped down about 5 pegs and that is exactly what Harry could do. Bring these overglorified semi-world class players back to earth and get them to play the football that suits their ability. But as a Spurs fan I should be happy he is thought so litte of, that way he can keep rubbing bitter haters like you in it !

  16. Charlie says:

    A very good article actually, well considered if not a tad biased. To be honest though the media are so biased in favour of that charlatan Redknapp, a man who has left every club he’s managed in debt, relegated or in a pious state with overpaid players on epic contracts,All shrugged off with “It was the chairman what let me do it” that an article displaying the other side of the coin is just what is needed.

  17. Harry All The Way says:

    You utter muppet. How many times were you, if ever, stood in the stands at West Ham, singing Harry’s name? There is a reason players like Paolo Di Canio, Freddie Kanoute, and Trevor Sinclair signed, and it wasnt the draw of joining West Ham. He has done some great things for English football, not to say he nurtured, brought through and made a name for a big chunk of the team Mr Capello so clearly wasnt able to manage or motivate this summer. You are not a journalist, you are a bitter fool. If Harry never left you, you would not be fighting relegation or fielding players with no talent such as Jonathan Spector, Kieron Dyer (when fit for 5 minutes), Rob Green.

    A Professional Spurs Fan………..

  18. hibs hammers says:

    Good point and well made, there was always a slight query about his dealings and I guess we will have to see what happens with the fraud/tax evasion hearings in September (no smoke without fire maybe?). He has done well with Spurs though so got to give him that. Malspurs is there any need for mindless abuse.

  19. NJ says:

    Jacob has only stated facts and any opinions he offers are, in my book, correct.

    Harry is great when things fall into place but at some point he gets found out. As we have seen at other clubs Harry knows this before anyone else does and he gets out.

    A fair weather manager if there ever was one, let’s see what develops at Spurs because he is now a bit higher profile and sliding into the shadows won’t be as easy next time.

  20. Bazmundo says:

    Did Harry sell Carrick, Cole, Lampard and Defoe? How was that money spent?

    Hmmmm what was Harry criticising in the magazine when Brown got too big for his boots and gave him the elbow?

    West Ham have never looked close to being as good as they were under Harry.

    Didn’t Southampton’s delightful little chairman Wupert Lowe bring in that Football expert, former England Rugby manager (yes rugby) Clive Woodward over Redknapp’s head without running it past Harry first… wasn’t that why Harry quit?

    So that leaves Bourrnemouth and Pompey…

    Do Bournemouth fans appreciate what Harry did for their club?

    When was the last time Pompey won the FA Cup? How much did they get for Johnson, Defoe, Kaboul, Diarra, Crouch… who’s fault is it they went into administration? Oh yeah, Harry’s… Not the Chairman or the accountants… just Harry.

  21. Alex says:

    Jacob,

    I can’t believe you got paid to write this!

    Lazy journalism!

    Obviously biased!

    YAWN

    Not interested

  22. Tom says:

    Very well-written article, and an even more remarkable memory – I’d almost completely forgotten about Soma and Diawara. One thing you don’t really mention – I think the win at Old Trafford in the cup clouded fans’ memories of Redknapp, masking our freefall in the league after Rio left.

  23. roflcoptor says:

    To be fair, I agree with a lot of what is written here. And by that I don’t mean the mongy responses – I mean the article itself. Redknapp is a bung taking saggy faced c’nt.

  24. Alex says:

    This article doesn’t make any sense. Other than upsetting Portsmouth + Southampton fans for showing ambition and making a bunch of awful siginings in one transfer window I don’t see how Mr Redknapp wrecked English football as your headline suggests.

    Please explain yourself.

  25. dean says:

    spot on, your only saying what we’ve all known for years except of course deluded spuds fans!

  26. ParkLane67 says:

    Most of this article contradicts itself by highlighting the rise of West Ham under Redknapp. It clearly all started to go wrong after the sale of Rio – So why not put the blame where it clearly lies? On a Chairman who was mesmerised by the money on offer and was prepare to sell the club down the river. No manager likes to work with a board that insists on selling it’s best players! I really don’t understand the vitriol that West Ham supporters have for HR, except of course that he is now doing a great job down the road at your rivals.

  27. Chris B says:

    Less of the ‘its ‘cos he’s a west ham fan’, rubbish!

    I’m a Hammer and always will be, and I too agree with the majority that this article is utter drivel!

    Agreed, ‘Arry made some shocking signings in his time at West Ham, but he also make some crackers – DiCanio, Kanoute, Berkovic and John Hartson (kept us up and scored 33 in 73 games).

    He has proved himself in the transfer market more recently also with the shrewd signings of Lassana Diara, Niko Kranjkar etc.

    He also knows how to get his players performing for him, something Capello failed to do might I add.

  28. Chris B says:

    Less of the ‘its ‘cos he’s a west ham fan’, rubbish!

    I’m a Hammer and always will be, and I too agree with the majority that this article is utter drivel!

    Agreed, ‘Arry made some shocking signings in his time at West Ham, but he also make some crackers – DiCanio, Kanoute, Berkovic and John Hartson (kept us up and scored 33 in 73 games).

    He has proved himself in the transfer market more recently also with the shrewd signings of Lassana Diara, Niko Kranjkar etc.

    He also knows how to get his players performing for him, something Capello failed to do might I add.

    The buck should stop with Terrence bloody Brown, for screwing a team and club who were potentially on the brink of something very special.

  29. MelSpur says:

    Accurate article – Redknapps re-writing of history and his self-serving, backstabbing ways will eventually catch up with him, odious man.

  30. jamie says:

    you are disgustingly boring.

  31. Sour Grapes says:

    Who’s decision was it to sell Ferdinand – you gloss over this as you do over who was responsible for the signings, the remaining £10m and Redknap’s sacking…er for criticising Chairman Brown…Let’s face it replcing Ferdinand waa going to be a difficult act especially when £10 million was to be stashed away…Equally the big name signings that didn’t materialise -well what’s new it happens all the time ( er Spurs missing out on Cole – who’s responsible Redknapp or Levy )at least at Spurs we do get a fair number of big names but how many really want to go to West Ham ???
    Redknapp though is obviously a crap manager – since leaving West Ham he’s saved both Portsmouth and Spurs from relegation,won an FA cup and got Spurs into the Champions League places…

  32. Errol B says:

    im a west ham fan,and unlike my fellow hammer think harrys a great manager,i would have him back any day.He may well be a bit dodgy as are most agents,i.e. his other son who s name escapes me,who done most of the dodgy deals with titi camara and other crap liverpool players.Spurs fans enjoy him while it lasts,i know i did

  33. Jacob says:

    Atotaltoal – You give with one hand and take with the other…

    Bazmundo – Redknapp wanted to switch to a 4-4-2 and asked for £10m to spend on Laurent Robert in the summer. Brown, now wary after Redknapp’s splurge, was reluctant and Harry ended up slagging him off in a very well-known West Ham fanzine. He was very quickly sacked.

    Lampard wanted to go and the money was spent on Repka, James and Hutchison. Cole, Carrick and Defoe all went because West Ham were relegated and had to service the debt. That said West Ham got Zamora in exchange for Defoe, so that was actually a pretty good deal.

    There are a couple of very odd comments on here, but my favourite comes from Paulie, who accuses me of having too much time on my hands because I took care over my job.

  34. A wasted minute says:

    The car crash of an article by bitter and twisted Steinberg demonstrates why the Guardian he writes for is in such dire straits. A half adequate journalist could write an objective article.I’ve wasted a minute of my life reading his infantile, biased article. If anyone needs to get a life its the so-called journalist. Let’s hope that Newsnow do not provide a platform for this twisted individual by publishing any further links for Steinberg’s rants. Those who he appeals to will easily find him in the gutter.

  35. frank A says:

    Cheers Ollie, an insult from you is a compliment.
    ‘Arry brought success to Pompey but poor financial managment was the issues there and none of them his faults. Read the Receivers report, I did. This is purely a hatchet job written out of spite.
    I hope you get an ulcer.

  36. sanity says:

    Charlie July 23, 2010 at 1:18 pm refers to a pious state. If you want to appear intelligent don’t use words you don’t understand. Charlie the thinking fan’s Mrs Malaprop.Steinberg is a demented West Ham apologist. Professional my ar…..Should stick to type and only use his crayons rather than electronically getting out of his depth

  37. Jacob says:

    There is criticism of both Brown and Redknapp in there – what is true is that Camara, especially, was signed on a huge contract which cost the club millions. As someone has alluded to above, Redknapp was more than happy for the rest of the money not to be used, something I hinted at in the piece…

  38. Jacob says:

    To those of you talking about the extra £10m – bear in mind I pointed out the how costly these players’ contracts were. West Ham were and are not a rich club and these deals financially crippled them.

  39. Ben Smith says:

    Incredible that loads of people come on here to slag off an article without offering any reasons as to why the points made aren’t accurate.

  40. deano says:

    redknapp is a cunt and all you yids deserve him

  41. Crombie says:

    Couldn’t agree more. Excellent article. Didn’t those signings have an agent in common too or was that a malicious rumour? Now,let me think. What was his name? Mark something. No sorry,it’s gone.

  42. Ben Smith says:

    Another thing to bear in mind for all those backing Redknapp is that this isn’t a one off as he can be seen as responsible for many of the problems that have blighted Portsmouth. You can blame the board for letting him have all the money he wanted to spend on players and unsustainable contracts but he still needs to take responsiblity for not realising the pressure his incessant transfer dealings would put on the clubs future stability. Pompey had a decent side but winning one cup was never going to sustain that. Next thing we know, Redknapps on the road again and the club picks up the pieces.

  43. Mes says:

    I haven’t seen this site listed on NewsNow recently and now I know why.

    Everyone brings their personal feeling for/against Redknapp into arguments about his dealings but lets face it – Calling him a ‘Saggy faced c**t’ is hardly a basis for a critique on his management ability.

    The fact is that Redknapp has ALWAYS assembled teams at every club he has been at that have punched above their weight. Marry this fact that most of those clubs have been starved of success for years with Chairmen desperately seen to be heroes with the fans (Rupert Lowe, Milan Mandaric etc.) and you have a recipe for disaster if one of them doesn’t do their job right (And I’m not talking about Redknapp!).

    The amounts paid for players and the finances of the club are the Chairman’s role. End of.

    In the case of West ham, HR assembled probably the best side since Bonds, Moore and Lampard Snr all trotted out together. That side being dismantled was not his fault.

    This is bitter and lazy journalism which has unfairly called the reputation of several honest players like Christian Daily into question and is not of the standard to be expected from a Guardian journalist.

  44. Kwolf says:

    A WHU supporting journalist criticising the WHU supporting media for the way Redknapp is portrayed. Bizarre.

  45. Mes says:

    Ben – Just seen your comment above. The manager of a club can not be held accountable for the finances, that purely and simply is the role of the Chairman. I run a business and it would be like me blaming the person ordering the copy paper for making me bankrupt. I run the business, I take the responsibility.

    The only thing Redknapp is responsible for doing at Pompey is winning you the cup and I didn’t notice many of you demanding that it should be returned because it was ‘Too expensive’.

  46. Mes says:

    Crombie – From wikipedia (Jacob wanted facts)

    Dailly is Scotland’s sixth-most capped player, having won 67 caps.[1] Unlike most other modern day footballers, he does not have an agent and negotiates deals himself.

  47. John Collins says:

    Thank you for this article. As for those who point to his success at Spurs? Success? They had the second most expensively assembled squad in the League – the least they should’ve finished is 4th

  48. TrevorH says:

    I am a West Ham fan of 45 years and I agree with everything that has been said in the article. In fact I think he got off lightly.

    However I will agree that he has done very well at Tottenham. It is also true that a manager is only as good as his board and the West Ham board backed him with cash when he needed it.

    However the squandering of the Rio money was a disgrace and the subsequent wage bill of the players that he signed nearly crippled West Ham.

    He is always in the news because of alleged shady dealings and as we all know HMRC are prosecuting. They don’t prosecute without due cause.

    Yes West Ham did have some success under Redknapp but they were never any better than average.

    And for non West Ham fans, it was Tony Carr that developed Cole, Carrick, Rio, Lampard and the rest. Redknapp gave them their chance but all the players developed away from West Ham. It is just not possible these days for the star players to be retained by the likes of West Ham.

    Personally I cannot stand the man. 1 FA cup and a couple of lesser trophies in 30+ years says it all. But well done for getting in the Champions League

  49. Mes says:

    Sheffield Wednesday have just been handed a winding up order… Must have been Redknapps fault.

    My computer crashed this morning, that was his fault as well. I reckon it’s no co-incidence that the BP spill happened after the season ended as well – Does anyone know where Redknapp was when that happened?

  50. Jacob says:

    Mes – I don’t think you’ll find I’ve called Christian Dailly’s honesty into question. What I have done is said he wasn’t a very good Premier League defender, but earned the respect of West Ham fans for his never-say-die attitude in The Championship – he played on in a game in which he lost some teeth after being kicked in the face, played while suffering from pleurisy and scored a goal with his nether regions. There you go – some actual knowledge, none of it garnered from Wikipedia. If you’re going to criticise me, do it properly.

  51. frank A says:

    1 Point I have to concede…’arry does look like the churchills dog..

    “Oh yes!”

  52. Sidders says:

    How so very sad, and to thin k that it has been so long since Harry was at wet spam, get over it, Harry is a great manager as long as he is not pulling the purse strings which I can assure you he will not be at Tottenham, he has turned Tottenham around and the best is yet to com over the next few years.

  53. Jacob says:

    I find it impossible to accept criticism from someone who uses the term ‘Wet Spam’.

  54. wow says:

    do u find alot of people disagree with u, i mean in all honesty i cant find a single redeeming sentance here.
    do u write just to annoy people, is it humourous to u to defy logic and fact,

  55. Jacob says:

    No, not really, just Redknapp cheerleaders apparently.

  56. Tinez says:

    He does play a very watchable brand of football at Spurs but this article highlights a side of Redknapp that is kept well under-wraps and clearly exists. This reflects the vitriol that not just West Ham but both Pompey and Saints supporters feel.

  57. AntiOnan says:

    Fact 1) A manager can only spend what his board gives him.
    Fact2) It is the manager who gives he young ones a break not their youth coach.
    Fact 3) Bitterness will not help WHU. So why the pus? Would it be because he is now at WHL? I didn’t particularly want him but he has done well. Is that why?

    Much of what you write about Redknapp could be applied to any manager of his generation but, Clough & Saunders/Barton aside few had any success.

  58. HulkHogan says:

    What a shame there is no balance to this article whatsoever.

    There are some ok points regarding his awful signings at West Ham but no mention of the excellent way he turned Tottenham’s fortunes around over the last 2 seasons.

    This just comes across as bitter. Really bitter.

    I didn’t like Redknapp much before reading this, but, if anything, this article has made me like him more as it is just an attempted character assasination – which I feel holds no weight whatsover.

    I can see why you are “freelance” Jacob!

  59. Jacob says:

    1) Or what he surreptitiously agrees not to spend.
    2) He’s also the manager who hung Joe Cole out to dry in scandalous circumstances after the Cup defeat to Tottenham mentioned in the article.
    3) No. I can see why you might think that, but no. I didn’t mind him until the period I’ve written about. And whatever I say isn’t going to help West Ham – I don’t work for them.

  60. jj says:

    Your first four paragraphs set the tone of this character assassination, and of your opinion that not enough people share your particular view as highlighted by your headline.

    Your central argument in support of your headline appears to rest on your central assertion in paragraph 5 “..the way Redknapp wasted the £18m West Ham received from Leeds United for Rio Ferdinand..”

    You clearly refute your own central assertion as follows “The spending totals £7.75m….The rest of the money was never seen in the transfer market”.

    You then go on in a rather long-winded, winding, and obtuse way to blade Redknapp for the financial state of Porstmouth. Yet this contradicts rather than flows on from your comments on the net gain of £10,000,000 on transfer dealings surrounding the sale of Rio Ferdinand, which forms the centrepiece of your article.

    On one hand you blame Redknapp for making a net gain on sale of players because WHU could not afford to compete, and on the other for over-reaching through overspending at a club which could not afford to compete.

    Even discounting that there is no causal link between these two very different scenarios, the responsibility for financial dealings clearly lies with the Board.

    The responsibility for results lies with the Manager within the limits of the funds he has available. The availability of funds is again with the Board.

    In essence, your article not only does not support your assertions, and not only have you adopted the approach of criticizing Mr Redknapp for actions which were clearly not of his own doing, but you argue that when faced with limited financies he was wrong to be financial prudent at WHU and wrong to spend at Portsmouth. This lacks in any form of logical argument.

  61. Jacob says:

    HulkHogan – Why do I need to mention what Redknapp’s done at Tottenham? This is about something that happened ten years ago.

    And don’t try to pretend you know the first thing about the journalism industry.

  62. steve says:

    great article. Harry got his fingers court in the till when he shared the agent fees for the liverpool players Song and Camara. He is lucky still to be involved in football.

  63. Jacob says:

    jj – A fundemental misunderstanding there – you assume that the public outlay of £7.75m was what was spent, when in reality a lot of what it went on huge wages on mediocre players Redknapp lumbered on West Ham.

  64. Ben Smith says:

    Mes, for the record, I’m not a Pompey fan. I do think that a manager needs to be involved in the financial side of a club, purely to appreciate what constraints they are working in and set out a method for running the playing side of the club that doesn’t rely purely on the constant injection of costly players. I do however accept that it is the overall responsibility of the chairman.

    I also think that fans need to take a responsiblity, albeit far less than thosae who run the club. As fans we demand success every season even though only a maximum of 3 clubs can actually win anything each year. Constant demands to spend risk creating massive financial black holes. I’d rather support a team with a considered approach to the future than a Pompey or Leeds that hit the releative heights only to see it crash and burn shortly after.

  65. Devo's Barnet says:

    Great article, this is SPOT ON. Saggy Chops get’s away with murder where ever he goes. Tottenham fans on here biiging him up will soon learn the sorry truth about him. FACT.

  66. Jacob says:

    For those talking about Redknapp doing this to Spurs – it won’t happen. Levy’s too clever and has Redknapp on a tight rein. Witness him refusing to sign David James in January, or not letting him go crazy last summer.

  67. diamondlights says:

    You are a cockroach.

    You’re moaning about something that happened a decade ago – badly. You’re conveniently ignoring the man’s recent achievements – attractive football and high league position -and just meandering alond a bitter nonsensical rant.
    Personally if I was a west ham fan I’d be embarressed by this, let it go, go back to your parents basement and eat some more kippers you sad bitter fantasist.

  68. Devo's Barnet says:

    Jacob – I was referring to his tax evasion and general dodginess, but you are probably right re transfers, Levy is shrewd.

  69. jj says:

    Perhaps I misunderstood what you meant in relation to the financial net gain from that set of transfers. Though to be fair there is a large cash-flow difference between £10m in the bank and paying wages from gate receipts. With reduction in loan interest £10m in the bank can be worth perhaps £500k-£1m a year. Though again i’m not aware of the precise financial situation WHU were in at the time.

    If you look at the collection of players HR assembled at Portsmouth – he brought in some really talented players, got good results, and played attractive football. The wages paid were often very high but that may have been what the Chairman had to offer to bring in players quickly to a less glamorous club.

    Ultimately Portsmouth like Leeds and many other clubs faced financial problems and was not as well-backed as it seemed. Tottenham also has had financial problems in the past. If you recall it was saved by Sugar and El Tel from certain financial implosion. El Tel of course was not without his own reputation for wheeler-dealing and is perhaps another reason why Tottenham fans find it easy to look beyond Redknapps reputation.

  70. Tax Man says:

    I’m coming to take him away ha ha. I’m coming to take him away ha ha, he he, hoo hoo.

  71. JimB says:

    Jacob – you seem to be backtracking at quite a rate. If this article was genuinely only about what Harry did ten years ago then you wouldn’t have felt the need to write four paragraphs bemoaning his current popularity. It amounted to nothing more than jutting out your lower lip, stamping your feet and screaming, “It’s not fair!”.

    Clearly, there is a lingering bitterness within you that, like malaria, never fully leaves. Every now and then, it overcomes you yet again. And that taste at the back of your mouth? That’s the bile that rises when you can’t control your feelings any longer and causes you to projectile vomit articles like this.

    Anyone who can get hot under the collar because Harry has the temerity not to fall into the managerial Stepford Wife trap of delivering bland platitudes and bad football-speak cliches should probably start looking for a different job – one which is less likely to cause offence and stress.

    And anyone who remains po-faced and pompous at the splendid awfulness of Harry’s Bentley / Honda quip really needs to get a sense of humour.

  72. stevet says:

    Pathetic.What utter rubbish.
    Pleased to remove you from my site
    West Ham season ticket holder for many years

  73. Jacob says:

    Wait a minute – is eating kippers a bad thing?

    jj – West Ham have never been in a good financial situation! Fwiw I don’t think Harry Redknapp is a bad manager; in the right circumstances, which he is benefitting from at Tottenham, he is pretty decent. In the wrong circumstances, with chairmen who he can manipulate, he is dangerous.

    The best football I’ve seen from West Ham was between 1998-2000 (I started going in 98) under Redknapp but he severely blotted his copybook with the Rio money. It’s impossible to say what would have happened if he hadn’t been sacked, but Roeder, a weak manager, was left with a fragmented squad.

  74. Jacob says:

    Er, JimB, his popularity is precisely why no one ever mentions how he screwed up ten years ago. Run along.

  75. Matt says:

    Very good piece, and I’m a Spurs fan and a Redknapp admirer. The problem is how you weigh up what your getting from him. If you leave aside his club hopping, his ‘slippery’ nature and, admittedly, some abysmal signings, there’s very little in footballing terms to criticise. He has managed to get three small clubs – sorry Hammers fans – punching well above their weight in a Premiership that is inundated with rich clubs, and he has done this playing attractive football and using English players.

    There are very few decent English managers around, and I think that he suffers because of this – he’s an easy target. After all, its not hard to compare well educated and extremely high pedigree managers like Mourinho and Wenger with an old cockney rebel like Harry. Maybe we should learn to appreciate him a little bit more? Even you Southampton fans… maybe not.

  76. JimB says:

    Err, Jacob – who else, other than a bitter obsessive, gives a flying fuck if Redknapp screwed up ten years ago? It’s ancient history and there isn’t a manager around who hasn’t screwed up at some point in his career. Harry is a far better manager now than he was in 2000.

    Get over it.

  77. frank A says:

    I’m beginning to feel sorry for you for writing such an ill judged article. Isn’t the internet great. It give us, the great unwashed a right to reply. Maybe you will think a little harder before typing such piffle again.

  78. Ryan Kam says:

    What’s with Ollie hiring bitter journos to write articles simply meant to troll their team’s rivals?

  79. Dag says:

    I can recall talking to pompey fans when they thought he was the messiah, they wouldn’t believe me, they do now.
    Reading all the totts talking reminds me of their naievity, you never know what redknapp has done untill he leaves your club & someone else is left to pick up the mess.

    Like Jacob said, I suspect he wont get the chance to do the same at totts unfortunatley.

  80. Funsize Phil says:

    Jacob, ignoring all the pro-Spurs, you-must-be-a-bitter-Hammer, having-a-pop-at-us-how-very-dare-you comments, and from one West Ham fan that lived through the times you describe above to another, I think this is one of the most insightful reflections of that period.
    If I had a very small criticism of your article would be that you don’t give Harry more credit for the good work for the decent league slots and good football we got to enjoy.
    The consistent finishing above Spurs (not needling anyone, it’s a just a fact folks), the freedom he gave the younger players coming through and getting the very best out of players most other teams had already given up on or dismissed (Paul Kitson & Trevor Sinclair spring to mind) were enoyable times.
    However, you do make some very valid points, that probably only those of us that were close to it at the time can appreciate.

    All the detractors that posted there own “bitter comments” should perhaps dispassionately look at the crux of Jacobs article. The abject awfulness of Redknapps signings at that time, when West Ham had the money and the momentum to really push on & cement a place in the top 7. But for every Paulo Di Canio, Mar Vivien Foe and latterly Lassana Diarra, there is a Marco Boogers, Samassi Abou and a Gary Charles.

    Personally, I have no beef with Harry Redknapp. Good luck to him I say. You make your own luck in this world and if there is one thing Harry is good at, it’s sorting himself out. But don’t let that detract from the fact that Jacob is right on a good many things. Ask Billy Bonds what he now thinks about a man he was once best of friends with. Just make sure you do it from behind some sound-proofed, toughened glass.
    And I rather unfortunately suspect that one day, genuinely with no feelings of malice implied, Spurs fans will feel the same way too. But good luck to them too for the meantime….begrudgingly.
    ;o)

  81. Andy says:

    unlike the murphy’s, you’re a bit bitter my friend!

  82. Rich says:

    only read first few comments to be fair but is everybody forgetting how much harry has spent at spurs…quite an effin’ lot. great article that does highlight harry as a pretty rubbish manager, i think the best example is how he overspent pompey into oblivion

  83. Football Genius says:

    So for the usual Tottenham, hear no, see no, speak no…until they have their 3rd round defeat fickleness attack, a history of destroying clubs finances is no concern…still its not as if 100% record at Bournemouth, West Ham, Portsmouth, Southampton should be of concern…lets hope a 5th chance to destroy a club isn’t beyond him, the bungtaking, bessie mate of Willie Mackay, first rent a gobshite quote for any journalist in exchange for a good press, twitching, best advert for global warming (hope the bastard drowns on his misearnt patch of Sandbanks), tax dodging crim.

  84. Neil says:

    You are a sad and bitter man Mr Steinberg. I pity you.

  85. Surespur says:

    You’ve obviously beem holding on to this resentment for a long time, you sad little cretin. I hope you find peace from this pathetic outbust and subsequently never darken my cyber-door again.

  86. Jacob says:

    No shit, Sherlock.

  87. SpurredoninDublin says:

    Whether I agree or disagree with this article or not, it strikes me that the format of Jacob replying to any comments that offend him is unprofessional and shows a lack of confidence in his own arguments.

    It is only the gutter press such as the Sun where you see a similar format. Jacob should be aware that whatever he writes, especially when it is about football, there will be those who agree and disagree. The mature thing to do, is to write the article and let it stand or fall on it’s own merits.

    Regarding my comment about “unprofessional”, there are a lot of comments on here that are clearly in contempt of court, as the matter of his alleged “tax dodging” is still sub judice. More to the point, if Redknapp were to be accquited of these charges, the website, as publisher of these comments, run the risk of being sued for libel, as well as being prosecuted for contempt. A “professional” would endeavour to make sure that the site was free of such items.

  88. SpurredoninDublin says:

    Following on from earlier comment, I was surprised to see that I had to await moderation before my comments were published. I had assumed that in view of the number of comments that were in contempt of court, and potentially libellous, the comments were being published automatically.

    Wake up moderator!!!!!

  89. Alex says:

    SpurredoninDublin,

    Yeah, Jacob’s a real prick for engaging with people when they argue with him. Standing up for your argument and clarifying points is definitely the sign of a moral coward.

    It also doesn’t just happen on The Sun and the tabloids but, depressingly, the Guardian and The Times. Does you not knowing that count as you being libellous, or just ignorant?

    Or a cunt?

  90. Danny says:

    Can anyone post an article to this site? or do you need to fail a journalism proficiency test first??

  91. Alex says:

    Danny,

    I just asked Ollie, and he says you need to fail the test. So sorry.

  92. Jacob says:

    Unfortunately, just like the England team, anyone who passes is shown the door.

    Have you passed the test, Danny?

  93. AlfGarnett says:

    I think his stock has risen because of more than “One spawny FA Cup victory with Portsmouth”. Surely he’s the best manager West Ham have had in a while; He kept them in the top flght for far longer than they deserved; He kept Portsmouth up against all odds; He came to Spurs and took them from relegation fodder to 7th place in the league and last season he got them in the European Cup/CL for the first time in over forty years. They didn’t give him the premier league title of ‘Manager of the Season’ last year because of some Faustian pact, they gave it to him because he was considered by his fellow professionals to be the best manager in the league. You not liking him doesn’t make him a crap manager I’m afraid. As for your claim that Roeder was a better manager, that will be because Roeder went on to become a great manager then will it?
    I always found it quite sad that a lot of West Ham fans constantly try to position themselves as Tottenham’s enemies, in some kind of perverse aspiration to elevate their own status by virtue of being asociated with a bigger club. It’s pathetic really. You should go back to focussing on your rivalry with that League 1 club down the road whose fans beat the crap of you on your own manor last season.

  94. Anonymous says:

    So Harry could have signed one player- Southgate, an England International but not exactly a signing thats going to set the world alight.
    Instead he signed 9 (2 on loan). Dailly and Song were both internationals and the difference in quality between them and southgate isn’t exactly night and day. Both decent players who give you more flexiility- song can play CB or RB and Daily CD or defensive mid. The others may not have been world beaters but would at least give some competition and depth to a squad looking to push on.

    No foundations in this article at all.

  95. Del says:

    Having been a West Ham fan for a long, long time before Redknapp arrived, I have to say that I agree with pretty much everything Jacob has said here.
    I can’t remember the exact number but the sum total of players in and out of Upton Park during Redknapp’s seven-year tenure was in the region of 120.
    Yes, he’s doing well at Tottenham but how much as he spent? Over £70m…Only Man City have spent more in the same time. Redknapp wheels and deals and buys and sells until, by happy accident, he manages to find a squad that works and everyone loves him except, as Funsize Phil said, his one-time best mate Billy Bonds. Redknapp was best man at Bonzo’s wedding, yet they haven’t spoken a word to each other since Redknapp took over at West Ham.

  96. SpurredoninDublin says:

    To Alex:

    Why is it that you are trying to put words into my mouth. I never suggested that Jacob was a prick. My criticism was that he felt he needed to respond to every criticsm detracts from his journalism and instead it becomes “lastwordism”.

    The problem with the internet, is that it is too full of people who cannot make a valid argument but do know how to spell four letter words.

    As I said originally I neither condone or criticise the original argument put forward by Jacob, but I do challenge the professionalism of Jacob in needing to respond to nearly every criticsm and the siteowners for allowing some of the comments that are quite clearly in contempt of court.

    How I long for the days when Football was about rivalries rather than hatred.

  97. FarehamHammer says:

    Harry Redknapp !,football’s ultimate prostitute !.Managerial ‘Messaih’?,nothing but a barrow boy ,good ol ‘Arry the man who left Bourenmouth,West Ham,Southampton and Portsmouth football clubs in financial meltdown,as soon as theirs NO more money for transfers Redknapp’s off !.The legacy of Redknapp’s era at any club he’s ever been to is to leave the club with a bloated squad of ageing players on lenghthy contracts and massive wages.His lackey’s in the media in this country who fawn on his every uttered word ,love to portray him as a genuis in the transfer window ,are deluded in the extreme .Redknapp’s policy in the transfer market is akin to ordering pizza’s off a pizza menu.Let’s take a look at the signing of David Nugent at Pompey for eg,he signed him for £6million THREE weeks later he was trying to off load him !!,get em in if it does’nt work i’ll go out and buy another one.He loves to claim he saved West Ham milions in the transfer market,by discovering Joe Cole,Frank Lampard,Rio Ferdinand ,Michael Carrick etc when in reality he had NOTHING to do with their development,that being down to Tony Carr the clubs long term development officer.Maybe his ‘happy’ clappers should give David Nugent a call and ask him about Redknapp’s magical prowess with young players on the training ground ?.I never forget him prostituting his soul for more cash on the day of Portsmouth football clubs greatest truimph in 69years the 2008 FA Cup Final,as the players danced around Wembley ,Rednapp was asked how did it feel,footall’s ultimate prostitute replied :”Yeah,i just received a txt from Sach Gaydamark which said,thank you Mr Redknapp you have made me proud,this is a club that is going places,the chairman told me their is MORE money for transfers,as the players we’re dancing around Wembley all the greedy barrow boy could think about was his next grubby little deal.Oh he had it good at the Accademy of football !,his ‘spiritual’ ‘ome he took the club for every penny he could get his hands on the £300000 reddies for the Rio deal,it didn’t stop their !.At that time Jamie Redknapp was playing for Liverpool and Mark Redknapp was an agent. All of a sudden the man who his ‘happy’clappers claim has claret and blue blood running through his veins started signing all Liverpool rejects:Titi Camara,Rigobert Song,Dave Burrows,Mike Marsh,Don Hutchinson ,i wonder why ??.Two years ago i happened to be using the same service station as Redknapp firstly i asked him why he signed them, then i told him why !!.His response?,F..k you c… !.Charming.Spurs supporters will know doubt say hold on the chairman gave him the money !!.True.But Redknapp with the help of the lackeys in the media turn the fans against the board if they don’t give him what he wants,he’s well connected with our Jamie the face of sky !.Fans want to see new signings and Harry is quick to bleat about having to be ‘backed’.He’s starting it already at Spurs soon the rumblings will start :F..cking Daniel Levy should sell if he does’nt back ‘Arry ,we all know how it works.Daniel Levy certainly knows Redknapp has got ‘history’ in leaving football clubs in financial ruin &he’s not having Spurs go the same way .We’ve heard Redknapp this week via his select band of media whors.”If i had money to buy three or four top players who i want we could win the league…for sure we are in the champions league ,budjets should go out the window !”.I understand Levy has told Redknapp having already spent £70 million he’s got to sell before he buys,he won’t even give him the money to take Bellamy on loan .As for a tactical genuis don’t make me laugh !!,who will ever forget the FA Cup semi-final against Pompey’s team of misfits .Avram Grant and Rednapp were standing next to each other on the touch line,Grant was cajoling Pompey on, changing formations ,Redknapp despite being 2-0 down just stood staring into oblivion absolutely clueless!.I sincerley hope that after the way Henry James Redknapp has enriched himself at the cost of almost ruining great football clubs,that he is found guilty on tax evasion charges and sent down to serve his time,no more than the barrow boy deserves.

  98. Jacob says:

    SpurredoninDublin – There’s nothing unprofessional about engaging with your audience. And anyway, you’re exaggerating, I’ve responded to a few posts.

  99. Jacob says:

    AlfGarnett – If you can show me the sentence where I say that Roeder is a better manager than Redknapp, I’d be most obliged. The assumption, also, that this is because he’s at Tottenham is beyond deluded.

    Anonymous – Song and Dailly both decent players? Do me a favour.

  100. Scott Duxbury says:

    When we sold Rio, we stood on the precipice of something great. Sadly, ego, and greed – and some poor ecisions later by Brwon – led us to only two years later selling some of the finest talent in English football for knock down prices, and playing Burnley on a wet Wednesday in the CCC.

    Brown must take some of that blame, so must Roeder and his players – notably Di Canio – but the vast majority of the blame must lay with harry.

    The real tragedy is that somewhere in an alternative future, Harry bought the right players, stopped lining his own pocets, kept Cole, Carrick Defoe et al, and we are in the Champs League. He is a West Ham legend to compare with Lyall, Bonds (who he stabbed in the bcak) Brooking & Moore.

    I hope – though I doubt – that loss keeps him awake at night.

  101. Frank A says:

    This runs and runs, Jacob is losing more credibility with each post he makes. I would so love for this article to be run past ‘Arry’s legal team. It seems to me that there is a certain level of responsibility that journalists should maintain. But, this wasn’t an objective article it was a fans view of things gone by , a long time ago, a few sprinklings of truth mixed in with venom from a bitter tortured mind.
    Bless supporting a team is supposed to be fun. I hope West Ham one day will give you something to be happy about. Rather than dwell on things long gone.

  102. alex says:

    Frank A,

    FUCK YOU

  103. Ian says:

    Frank A,

    Failed writer?

  104. Any Old Iron says:

    Frank A

    I would imagine “`Arry’s legal team” currently have their work cut out trying to mount a defence on the tax avoidance charges that are still hanging over him like the sword of Damocles

  105. […] Harry Redknapp is English football’s wrecking ball […]

  106. Paul says:

    ‘Arry “Wreck”knapp? Only in a parallel Transformers (or should that be “Transfermers” to relate to football) universe. That being said, I don’t really see the analogy. If he is the wrecking ball, who is the crane operator? And who or what is the crane? I’d suggest the Sky TV deal is the crane. There are several contenders to line up the wrecking ball, suggestions welcome.

  107. Briggsy says:

    what a load of shite. you are one very bitter hammer. Harry is a beeter manager than anyone stupid enough to go to upton park. anyway, next year you lot will be battling it out in the championship and would be crying out for someone like harry to come and save you. Come back when you have something decent to write fella

  108. Briggsy says:

    *better manager

  109. Bobby Moore says:

    Jacob is a delusional West Ham fan? So sad…

  110. Bobby Moore says:

    Jacob you sorry ass…

  111. dan says:

    lol you bitter twisted looser

  112. Concerned says:

    What does beeter mean?

  113. James west says:

    Shouldn’t you be a Spurs supporter with a name like Jacob Steinberg!

  114. […] Harry Redknapp Is English Football’s Wrecking Ball […]

  115. shmonster says:

    redknapp is the loser, boys, and those who write loser with oo.
    redknapp wrecked portsmouth, and he’ll leave the spurs into financial disaster.

    didnt know the backgrounds jacob described but it absolutely fits the image that i have of redknapp, the recklass wrecking wheeler dealer. who, on top of all this, also writes for englands fascist newspaper, the sun.

  116. Revolver says:

    I was one of the many West Ham supporters who criticised Roeder and who said that we only finished 7th because it was Redknapp’s team. Until I read your article it had never dawned on me that under Redknapp, the same squad finished 15th!

    I can’t say I like Redknapp and any club who employees him needs a strong chairman who can stop him spending money like it’s going out of fashion, but the fact is that when he was West Ham manager we played some of the best football I’ve ever seen.

    Would he be good for England? Hard to say as he can’t organise a defence to save his life but let’s face it he couldn’t do any worse than Capello or McLaren.

    I also have to say that despite my dislike, faced with a choice of Redknapp, Grant, Zola, Curbishley or Roeder I’d have Redknapp back at West Ham any time.

  117. HammerTime says:

    I’m with Revolver, would have Redknapp over any of our managers since. Except Brooking, who could have been a God as manager at Upton Park.

  118. Cherry lass says:

    Someone obviously who never understood what he England fans knew and wanted. Redknapp senior and junior, and Defoe, both had very good training at the best, even if not famous, place, Bournemouth. COME ON THE CHERRIES, must I add like other legends and I remember whenever the England manager has cme up in last few years Rednapp is the English person choice but has always turned it down.

Leave a Reply