Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Harry hopes for a glory days return
HARRY Redknapp the most successful manager in Cherries history is hoping to see Eddie Howe bring back the glory days to Dean Court.[LNB] Redknapp masterminded the clubs elevation into the second tier of the Football League after leading Cherries to the Division Three championship in 1987.[LNB] An epic battle with promotion rivals Middlesbrough ended with Cherries pipping the Teessiders to the title their 97-point haul then a record total.[LNB] The memorable 1986-87 campaign took Cherries into the second flight for the first time, with Redknapp plotting a 12th-place finish in 1989, the highest in the clubs history.[LNB] Redknapp, in his first managerial post, assembled a squad of relative journeymen a number from non-league and transformed them into a formidable unit.[LNB] He used only 20 men during the title triumph, with three ever-present and no fewer than six others featuring in the majority of Cherries 46 league matches.[LNB] Speaking to the Daily Echo this week, Redknapp said: We got a good group together and had people who showed great appetite and attitude.[LNB] Players like Tony Pulis and Sean ODriscoll were outstanding for us. Richard Cooke was a great signing from Spurs and so was John Williams from Port Vale.[LNB] We had a lot of terrific characters. Ill admit they werent easy to look after at times because they enjoyed themselves away from football! But when it came to training and playing, they were an excellent group to work with. We had a lot of experience and players who had been there and done it at different levels.[LNB] A few of those players have done very well for themselves in management, which shows they knew what the game was about.[LNB] Redknapp, now manager at Spurs, has always kept a keen eye on developments at Dean Court and says he has been impressed by Cherries start to the season under Howe.[LNB] For sure, Ive been following them, he said. I follow them every season and, like everybody else, want to see them do well. Eddie and Jason Tindall have done well since they took over.[LNB] Its been a fantastic start. I think everybody thought Notts County would be certainties for the title but they dont look like certainties now.[LNB] Apart from the fact Bournemouth are doing so well, Im not so sure whats going to happen there now. Sol Campbell leaving was good from Bournemouths point of view.[LNB] Eddie has built a good team on a shoestring and done a good job. I think theyve got a great chance of going up and I would love to see them get back up.[LNB] Asked whether he had any advice for Howe, Redknapp replied: He just needs to keep being himself and I think hes doing that. You are who you are and people see through you if you try to be someone youre not.[LNB] They have got a good young management team in place and I just hope they can continue what theyre doing and be successful.[LNB]
